Spiritual dryness, thirst, and barrenness
I have been looking at Hosea 2:3 lately. Here is the second half of that verse:
"I will make her like a desert, and turn her into a dry land, and make her die of thirst."
The context is that God is telling Israel what the consequences will be if she continues in her idolatrous and unfaithful behavior. We, as the church in America are not without our own sins and repentance may be called for (1).
Maybe you are embracing your personal brokenness and your heart is also broken over the lost as well as the ineffectual church and her sins. I think that God deals with the big and the small, the whole church, the whole nation, and also individuals. A single person may be walking closely with God in a land of famine or dryness. You may be in a dry place and it's no fault of yours. Be encouraged.
When I read Maurice Smith's piece, Spiritual Tsunami and falling tides, he helped me finish my thought that I am writing about here. Perhaps God allows dryness to help us to get in touch with thirst. Perhaps God hides himself so that we will seek him. There is a phrase, "calm before the storm". Perhaps that is a form of grace. Perhaps we are right now in a calm before the storm. We have grace right now to prepare and to position our selves. Grace for today, hope for tomorrow.
Footnote
1. "Therefore, the LORD God, the holy one of Israel, says: In return and rest you will be saved; quietness and trust will be your strength— but you refused." (Isaiah 30:15)
"So remember the high point from which you have fallen. Change your hearts and lives and do the things you did at first. If you don’t, I’m coming to you. I will move your lampstand from its place if you don’t change your hearts and lives." (Revelation 2:5)
"So remember what you received and heard. Hold on to it and change your hearts and lives. If you don’t wake up, I will come like a thief, and you won’t know what time I will come upon you." (Revelation 3:3)
"I will make her like a desert, and turn her into a dry land, and make her die of thirst."
The context is that God is telling Israel what the consequences will be if she continues in her idolatrous and unfaithful behavior. We, as the church in America are not without our own sins and repentance may be called for (1).
Maybe you are embracing your personal brokenness and your heart is also broken over the lost as well as the ineffectual church and her sins. I think that God deals with the big and the small, the whole church, the whole nation, and also individuals. A single person may be walking closely with God in a land of famine or dryness. You may be in a dry place and it's no fault of yours. Be encouraged.
When I read Maurice Smith's piece, Spiritual Tsunami and falling tides, he helped me finish my thought that I am writing about here. Perhaps God allows dryness to help us to get in touch with thirst. Perhaps God hides himself so that we will seek him. There is a phrase, "calm before the storm". Perhaps that is a form of grace. Perhaps we are right now in a calm before the storm. We have grace right now to prepare and to position our selves. Grace for today, hope for tomorrow.
Footnote
1. "Therefore, the LORD God, the holy one of Israel, says: In return and rest you will be saved; quietness and trust will be your strength— but you refused." (Isaiah 30:15)
"So remember the high point from which you have fallen. Change your hearts and lives and do the things you did at first. If you don’t, I’m coming to you. I will move your lampstand from its place if you don’t change your hearts and lives." (Revelation 2:5)
"So remember what you received and heard. Hold on to it and change your hearts and lives. If you don’t wake up, I will come like a thief, and you won’t know what time I will come upon you." (Revelation 3:3)
(Common English Bible)
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