This Fountain Never Runs Dry

I can take the tiniest dry ache and put it in the fountain. I thought at first that putting my soul near Jesus was reserved for special events and mountainous issues. Nope. Anything. Right now. For as long as it takes. Any other perspective says that He is not there for you and / or you do not believe He is faithful.

There are no limits to the fountain, and no stain for which it was not made. Try. See if you can shock Him with that dark place in your heart. See if you can get Him to reject your concern as too petty for His attention.

Father, thank You for Your Faithfulness and Mercy, poured out for us all.

201010142238

Exotic. Human. Novelty. Attractive. Attention-drawing.

Nothing is love but love. Many things are interesting, fascinating, rare. None of them are suited to sustaining life here in the Wild.

Lots of self flagellation over being distracted by these things over and over. They were not by themselves. For every time someone said, "turn from sin" there were as many or more who said "turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of Earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace."

I guess it took time and circumstance to point out that there was only one fountain.

It is not the last cigarette. It is the first free breath.

Water of Life

In "civilized" places there are so many sources of water and other forms of moisture.

In opposition, the Wilderness is, by definition, a place with only one Source of all. So it is a training ground out here.

If you go look at Frank Herbert's Dune, you will see some echoes of the walk in the Wilderness, but my recollection is that survival and thriving depended on science and community. Community and it's rules to teach you how the science of your stillsuit would keep you alive in the wastes.

Here in YHWHs Wild Place, even community and science fail. One Thing works. Just One Thing.

Staying very near. Apart from the Spirit, there is only desolation. Very near, the desolation all around becomes a proper setting.

I think I am okay...so I wander away to look at something. I have forgotten that there is nothing else worth looking at. I awaken to the fact that I am parched, seared by the dry place I have gone to. So I turn back. The distance back is nothing, because He is running to me. It is what He does, Who he is. There is no question of His welcome for me.

When I am back in my Father's arms, I am refreshed and healed. In my Daddy's lap there is no lack of any good thing. There is water for my dryness, to restore my ability to weep with joy.