God gave His people thirst so that He could give them water then give them Himself. God is the bringer of both drought and rain.
Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” And he cried to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the LORD made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer.”
~Exodus 15:22-26
Why did God send drought? Because His people had a need even deeper than water and only drought would prove it to them. They needed eternal life in Him.
When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. ~ 2 Chronicles 7:13-14
God’s rod and staff alike are wielded for our blessing. Rain and drought alike are blessings: one to refresh our souls, one to sanctify them. Trees during drought drive their tap roots deeper, determined even to break through solid rock to reach water. So, too, when God tests us for our good, we mine His great and precious promises, pressing deeper into Him in prayer, clinging with Jacob’s determination and the faith of the bleeding woman until the Holy Spirit refreshes our souls with His Living Water, even Himself.
When Job’s wife suggested Job curse God and die because of his painful circumstances, he responded
“You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. ~Job 2:9-10
From the heart the mouth speaks and a fresh spring bursts with fresh water! Let us train our souls to rejoice in God’s blessing of fatherly chastisement so that our lips will send up energetic praises in all circumstances!
For those who support Sweetwater with your earnest prayers, money, and time, please pray that God will open our eyes to see how He has made our clients thirst and how Sweetwater must act through the provision of physical water to point drinkers to the spiritual water of Christ that quenches a deeper thirst.
