Streams in the Desert

Today’s Passage – Isaiah 31 – 35

The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. (Isaiah 35:2)

Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. (Isaiah 35:6)

In Lancaster, California on the campus of West Coast Baptist College near the Sisk Dormitory there is a fountain with Isaiah 35:6 inscribed on it. It sits there as a testimony to the goodness of blessing of God. 25 years ago in that same location there was nothing but desert. Some would have called it a “dust bowl” back then; but now it is a beautiful campus with beautiful green landscaping and gorgeous buildings. More importantly, it is a place where God’s Spirit is moving in a great way; and many people are being saved and trained to serve the Lord.

Isaiah 35 tells us about the Millennial Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ where He will rule and reign on the earth. There will be a lot of changes during that time period; but it is safe to say that it will be a glorious time to live on the earth. The desert will literally blossom as the rose. Isaiah encourages the people of Israel often by reminding them of this future period of peace and prosperity. The saved of today will rule and reign with Christ during this time. What a wonderful God we serve!

We don’t have to wait until the Millennium to experience this bliss, however. We can have it right now. Jesus said:

…I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14)

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (John 7:38)

The life of the Christian who is yielded to the will of God, and filled with the Spirit of God is an oasis in the midst of a dry and barren land. Jesus said that He would fill those that are thirsting for Him. Perhaps the reason why so many of God’s people do not experience this type of spiritual refreshing is because they are hungering and thirsting after the things of this world rather than the things that are eternal. Christian, our lives ought to be overflowing with the fruits of the Spirit and the water of life. Perhaps if we were, we just might cause the arid world around us to be thirsty for God.