Rivers of Refreshing

The week before last I shared about how God prepared Israel for the new and radical thing He was going to do in their lives. I believe we live in a time when God wants to do new and radical things in His people, in His church, and in missions. In Isaiah 43:19 it says, “Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

A road speaks of a way to travel in an unfriendly environment “wilderness” to a place of destination. God is not calling us to go cross country or to blaze a trail through the wilderness. Life and ministry can often be tough and the way rough because we are off blazing our own trail. Isaiah 30:21 says “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.” God has prepared a road for you with all the provision that you need for the journey. Jesus put it this way, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30

God’s promise goes on in Isaiah to say that He will make “rivers in the desert.” In the midst of the spiritual wilderness that surrounds us and can sometime overtake us, God desires to bring rivers of refreshing and life. God not only wants to make a road for us to travel on, but He wants to give us rivers of refreshing. Rivers (plural) speaks not only of an abundance of refreshing but different sources of refreshing. God does not want you to be struggling and dry. That does not benefit you, Him or His kingdom. God does not promise to deliver us from the desert and wilderness, but He promises to make a road and to bring refreshing as we wait on Him. Jesus said, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." John 7:37-38

But for that river to flow in the desert, we must diligently seek God and be open to the new thing He wants to do in our life and ministry. You may have heard the term and even used the term “stuck in a rut.” This happens when we repeat things until they become habits that bind our lives. If we are not careful, we develop ruts in our job, ministry, church, life and even devotions. God is not calling us to quit these things but to allow his creative, miracle power into these areas of our life. Let His Spirit show us new and creative ways of doing these things. Seek His face and be willing to take a risk and step out and do something new. Respond to that nudge of the Spirit, believe for something bigger than yourself, do something you would not ordinarily do, or be even capable of doing in yourself, and see what God will do.

“Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” May you discover God in a new and refreshing way this week.

Andy Clark
Associate DirectorWorld Horizons US Office
www.worldhorizonsusa.org