Encouragement
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Excitement arose as my daughter drove us through the entrance gate of the Joshua Tree National Park in California. All I was certain of is that we would enjoy every moment together in the park which stretches approximately 789,745 acres. A mother daughter weekend to celebrate Mother’s Day! I knew from looking at the statistics of right under 3 million people visiting the park back in 2019 that we would take in the aesthetic views of the desert – the park named for the Joshua tree!
Right away as we drove into the park not even a couple of miles, the feeling of being in the dry, vast, heated desert just kind of spilled upon you. We knew it would be dry and hot! The sun was warm with a slight breeze blowing. My eyes took in the canvas of the beautiful color contrasts, the blue sky hovered over this massive brown desert area dotted with the unique Joshua trees dressed in green, arm-like branches. It looked as if an artist had painted them in to accent the dry desert place to which they were assigned. The massive rock formations, impressive and breathtaking – bold, large, and making their presence known. My thoughts – gratitude! And yes, I whispered “thank you” to Him as I counted it a blessing to be given the time to experience it all. Almighty God certainly awes us!
Psalm 19:1-8 (The Message)
God’s glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon. Madame Day holds classes every morning, Professor Night lectures each evening. Their words aren’t heard, their voices aren’t heard, their voices aren’t recorded, but their silence fills the earth; unspoken truth is spoken everywhere. God makes a huge dome for the sun – a superdome! The morning sun’s a new husband leaping from his honeymoon bed, the day breaking sun an athlete racing to tape. That’s how God’s Word vaults cross the skies from sunrise to sunset, melting ice, scorching deserts, warming hearts to faith.
Back to the desert though, the park had several hikes to choose from to meander through to truly experience the Joshua Tree National Park. My daughter and I stopped and hiked a couple of times. It was quite fascinating to see such hot, dry territory and ponder deeper thoughts about the design of the plants that can grow in and survive in desert climates. Insight drew me back to scriptures that are planted within, and I looked from a spiritual perspective. Seemingly heated/tension filled places, seasons or challenges that we find ourselves in within the days and seasons of our own lives as well. If we are honest, we understand that many times it’s through hard times or perhaps seemingly spiritually dry times with the Lord that we grow and change. We’ve advanced in time since the Israelites desert wanderings, but we are all made of the same stuff they were! We whine and complain when things get hard too sometimes. Yet still, amid those times, we can still praise the Lord, marvel, and wait until it passes.
The most fascinating fact to me about these Joshua Trees came about when I returned home from my trip, and I looked them up. The Joshua trees were scattered all over in the desert. Some of them looked like they were dead; yet, at the top of all the dead we could still see that a new growth had sprouted in the dead – talk about beauty from ashes! In my brief research I learned the trees themselves, not even overly tall in stature, could grow a root system from 15 – 40 feet. One single root system could burrow at a depth of 30 feet to find scarce water in the desert. To witness the esthetics of the desert. So many thoughts culminated over the distinct uniqueness of The Joshua Tree National Park – if you get a chance, go visit!
The whisper in my heart that I heard repeatedly as I traveled throughout Joshua Tree National Park was from Isaiah 58:11 – The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. Now, go with me here, if you are willing? I would ask that you close your eyes and pause after you look at the questions to consider and read through the scriptures. Take a deep breath and hold it all in for a couple of seconds and slowly exhale. Repeat it until you can hear your breath and sense you are relaxed. Now, in this moment, or in this day, how are you doing? Is your faith in action today? What might you need today? Perhaps you haven’t thought about that today or maybe you have too much to consider. It’s okay, just do the breathing and consider the breath He has given you. The roots of faith started somewhere and at sometime in your life. As I pondered the years that it took for the roots of tree to reach 30-40 feet below to reach water; I couldn’t help but think about my own journey. Where are you in your faith journey? Are you waiting for something? Trusting Him as you wait? I invite anyone willing to send a message or report. I enjoy and am inspired and am blessed to hear other’s stories and testimonies of how the Lord has worked or is working currently in their lives. Feel free to share! His work is never finished with us on this side of the cross. Our roots of faith grow to new depths as His never-ending living water gushes within us. The whisper in my heart that I heard repeatedly as I traveled throughout Joshua Tree National Park was from Isaiah 58:11 – The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.
Consider the words of the apostle Paul in Colossians 2:5-7 – For though I am away from you in body, yet I am with you in spirit, delighted at the sight of your orderly array and the firmness and the solid front and steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As therefore you have received Christ, Jesus the Lord walk in union with and conformity to Him. Have the ROOTS of your being firmly and deeply planted in Him, being CONTINUALLY built up in Him, BECOMING increasingly more CONFIRMED and ESTABLISHED in the faith, just as you were taught, and ABOUNDING and OVERFLOWING in it with THANKSGIVING.
May God bless you all! I am leaving you with Paul’s prayer. To all my brothers and sisters in Christ recorded in Ephesians 3: 17-21 – May Christ swell in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love. That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth; That you may come to know the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge; that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God. Now to Him, Who, by the power that is at work within us, can do superabundantly, far over and above all that we ask or think beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams. To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen
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