where waves grow sweet

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8

There is a time that is coming when all will be restored and there will be no more drought, no more groaning, no more flopping around in death sentences. Every polluted thing will be washed away and we will exist in perfect purity. It will be heaven. Literally.

It’s a pretty amazing thing to anticipate. But the whole idea of the new covenant is that we are no longer separated from God. The curtain was torn. Heaven came crashing into earth. Which means that we get to have that kind of life now.

Through Jesus, we find signs of that life where everything is dry, cracked, and barren. Fresh green leaves appear where there was nothing to account for them – no water, no sun, no soil. When we have that kind of life, we can extend it to everything and everyone around us. Because it’s not our own life which is dependent on so much for survival, but the very life of God which is able to create from nothing and exist independent of every natural thing.

The bible says that we will shine “like stars in the sky as we hold firmly to the word of life.” Stars don’t shine in the day. They shine at night, when it is dark and hard to see. It is exactly when things outwardly look like they are falling apart and it is hard to see any good thing, that we get to draw from the spirit of God within, shining and twinkling with a calm that goes deeper than daunting emotions or heart-wrenching circumstances. We get to reflect the life of God in a world of drought, the peace of God in a world of distress, the hope of God in a world of despair.

Thank you Lord for every difficult thing that has brought us to our knees before you, that we can see the end of ourselves and our finite ability, and the beginning of you and your infinite ability – not only to bring us through, but to draw out the lush joy and beauty you’ve planted within. Thank you that this is our portion, our inheritance. as your beloved children.