Watering the Soul

I have a few plants in my house that will either look lush and thriving or withered and dying. It seems that in order to keep them looking healthy and alive I need to water them. Seriously though, I understand their desperate need for water. But too often I get distracted and forget or I just don’t see them when their leaves are turning brown, withering up and about to die. It’s sad really. I should probably just give up and not try. I am sure artificial plants could look really nice too. To be honest the only reason I have had these particular plants is because my husband is better at seeing them than I am and he will remind me that they are dying. Sometimes he will just water them without saying a word. I am sure they love my husband more than me.

Today I was reading Psalm 1 and my heart was pricked by verse 3 which says, “He will be like a tree firmly planted by stream of water, which yields its fruit in its season and it leaf does not wither…” In the quietness before the Lord He reminded me of something I had forgotten. Jeremiah 17:8 says, “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by the stream and will not fear when the heat come; But its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.”

Sometimes we can be like my poor plants. Our leaves begin to wither and die and for various reasons no one sees us. They don’t see that we are dying spiritually. They don’t see that we are struggling. They walk by and we die a little more. Our edges begin to curl up and we no longer produce our fruit. The ground around us begins to dry and discouragement sets in. We wonder will anyone see? Does anyone know we are struggling?

But unlike my plants we can do something about our withering leaves. My plants are dependent on me. Their only hope is that I see that they are dying. Their only hope is that I will remember to water them. We, however, have a greater hope. We have the hope of Jesus and His written word. We only need to open up His word and allow it to refreshing and renew us.

So if you feel like your life is falling apart. If you feel dried out and about to wither up then go to the One who does see you. Go to the One who is never so distracted he forgets about you. In fact He never forgets you and always sees you. Go to Him and spend time in His word and let Him refresh you.

To be honest I have forgotten this lately. Thinking other things, books, and people would be able to refresh that which I felt dying inside me. But it’s when I am meditating on the truth of His word that my soul and heart grows and is refreshed. It’s His word alone that waters my soul. I;m so grateful He sees me and reminds me that He is the answer to my thirsty soul.

What about you? How long has it been since you have sat before the Lord with your Bible? Not a bible study or devotional, but His Word, the Bible? Not that those things are wrong, but if we are only getting what others have already studied and chewed up then we are missing the richness of watering our soul through the words of Jesus. Why not start today and open up your Bible and see how God might speak to you?