Dry and Thirsty

“I have been the LORD your God ever since I brought you out of Egypt. You must acknowledge no God but me, for there is no other savior. I took care of you in the wilderness, in that dry and thirsty land. But when you had eaten and were satisfied, you became proud and forgot me.” Hosea 13:4, 5, 6 (NLT)

I literally live in the beautiful Sonoran Desert of Arizona. The Sonoran Desert includes 60 mammal species, 350 bird species, 20 amphibian species, 100+ reptile species, 30 native fish species, and more than 2000 native plant species. The Sonoran Desert is considered the wettest desert in the world, receiving up to 15 inches (380 mm) per year in some locations.

Yes, the desert can be beautiful and full of life, but then there are also times when there is a drought and it can become a dry and thirsty land.

This reminds me of my life at times. In the above verse God is expressing His anger with Israel, but I am sure there have been times He has felt this way with me as well. God brings us out of the bondage of sin; He becomes our God and Savior. Part of being our Savoir is being our caretaker. Notice how He says, ‘I took care of you in the wilderness, in the dry and thirsty land.’ God does not always remove us from the situations that bring us to the desert, but when we are there, he promises to be right beside us each step of the way and care for us; to give us what we need to bring us through. Sometimes, I must confess, I have been like Israel, full of pride and forget to thank the One who is really responsible for getting me through the trials. That pride and lack of thankfulness becomes my down fall. I start thinking I can run my life my way. It doesn’t take long before I am reminded once again that my way is not always God’s way, which is ALWAYS the best way for me. Most of the time though, maybe through trial and error, I am humbled once again to know just how much God loves and cares for me; and I am thankful once again for God’s love and mercy that has once again brought me through my trials.

Dear Heaven Father, help me to always remember that you are with me always, even in the dry and thirsty spells of my life. Help me to be thankful when you quench my thirst with your everlasting spring. May pride never creep into my heart. Help me to hold onto your promises, that you will never leave me or forsake me. In Jesus precious name, amen.

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