Streams in the Desert

My family rejoiced on our balcony earlier this week when the first rains fell in over six months. Having a typical Mediterranean climate, Israel basically gets six months of dry followed by six months of rain. Praise God that the dry season is behind us and the months of rain are ahead!

Jerusalem sits on top of a watershed mountain ridge, so rainfall  flowing off the western side of the mountain goes on to the Mediterranean Sea and rainwater flowing down the eastern side ends up at the Dead Sea. East of Jerusalem is the Judean Wilderness. Even though this low, desert wasteland only receives about 2 inches of rain per year, higher up on the ridge line, Jerusalem receives about 22 inches per year. The runoff creates “streams in the desert”.

The prophet Isaiah used the image of “streams in the desert” to teach us about the nature of our relationship to God.  This simple, 20-second video clip shows what Isaiah was talking about. Water from Jerusalem flows through Wadi Qelt in the barren Judean desert down to Jericho and finally into the Dead Sea. Without the Spirit of God we are as parched and dry as the harshest desert; but, we come to life when the Spirit of God flows into and through us.

Blessings,

Joel