Read 1 Kings 17:5--7
One morning Elijah noticed that the brook wasn't gushing over the rocks or running as freely as it had in days past. Since that single stream of water was his lifeline, he checked it carefully. Over the next few days he watched it dwindle and shrink, until it was only a trickle. Then one morning, there was no water, only wet sand. The hot winds soon siphoned even that dampness, and the sand hardened. Before long, cracks appeared in the parched bed of the brook. No more water. The brook had dried up.
Does that kind of experience sound familiar to you? At one time you knew the joy of a full bank account, a booming business, an exciting, ever-expanding career, a magnificent and exciting ministry. But the brook has dried up.
At one time you knew the joy of using your voice to sing the Lord's praises. Then a growth developed on your vocal chords, requiring surgery. But the surgery removed more than the growth; it also took your lovely singing voice. The brook has dried up.
Your partner in life has grown indifferent and has recently asked for a divorce. There's no longer any affection and no promise of change. The brook has dried up.
I've had my own times when the brook has dried up, and I've found myself wondering about the things I've believed and preached for years. What happened? Had God died? No. My vision just got a little blurry. My circumstances caused my thinking to get a little foggy. I looked up, and I couldn't see Him as clearly. To exacerbate the problem, I felt as though He wasn't hearing me. The heavens were brass. I would speak to Him and heard nothing. My brook dried up.
That's what happened to John Bunyan in seventeenth-century England. He preached against the godlessness of his day, and the authorities shoved him into prison. His brook of opportunity and freedom dried up. But because Bunyan firmly believed God was still alive and at work, he turned that prison into a place of praise, service, and creativity as he began to write Pilgrim's Progress, the most famous allegory in the history of the English language. Dried-up brooks in no way cancel out God's providential plan. Often, they cause it to emerge.
Taken from Charles R. Swindoll, Great Days with the Great Lives (Nashville: W Publishing Group, 2005). Copyright © 2005 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.
1 comment:
Great Devotion. Sometimes I fear drying up. I am so hungry for Him and His presence. Life seems to be so hard sometimes and I forget to sing praises and rejoice in His goodness over me. He deserves our praise and our worship. He is endless with His goodnees and faithfullness to me. I long for Him and to feel Him with me in everything I do and everthing I say. Esp to my children and husband. I want to be found faithful in all He gives me, and not fear all He gives me to do. All I ever do I want Him to get the glory for and not me. I long to do the children's ministry with excellence but always keep my focus on Him and the ministry, not just all the details. And then I want to keep my eyes on the future and the calling on my husband. We never know what the next chapter of life is and as long as we stay CLOSE to His presence He will walk with us thru steps of faith.
I am all over the place in this response. I am hungry to be used, to be obediant, to DIE MORE TO ME, and walk in joy as I GET to serve. Every hot dog I make for Morgan and Ethan, every thing I do for my hubby, every moment I spend folding clothes, and preparing new exciting children's program, I pray I do it ALL in LOVE, all in Him and NOT ME, all with HIM at my focus constanly. This is my worship and He deserves my best. He deserves so much more than me and my sin. I WORSHIP YOU my Father. Thank YOU for YOUR goodness and blessings. I am so in love with You and I'm so sorry for my slefishness and spoiledness.
I pray I strive to protect my BROOK.
Tricia
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