The Words of Encouragement

"Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. By day the pillar of cloud did not cease to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take. You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst. For forty years you sustained them in the desert; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen. - Nehemiah 9:19-21



God quenches our thirst. In this scripture, Nehemiah is speaking of the goodness of God to the children of Israel. He is repeating the good things God had done. He has provided for the needs of his children in the desert. By day he provided a cloud and by night he provided the pillar. Meaning God was with them both day and night.

God gave his Spirit to direct the children. He gave them food and he took care of their needs. Even in their disobedience where they had to wonder for 40 years, he kept them. As I sat today to seek what to write about I thought about thirst.
 
What causes us to be thirsty? When there is a lack within our bodies, our body triggers our need to drink. If that trigger is ignored, it does not go away, it simply gets stronger. What is so wonderful is when you are able to quench that thirst, to drink the water that will satisfy the body, you will be refreshed.
 
What I saw today as I looked at this scripture is God did not leave them in a desert place thirsting without something to quench that thirst. A desert place is a dry, barren place. Normally the heat is more intense and it causes the need for refreshing to be even greater.
 
What does this speak to you and I today? God knows about your desert places (either self inflicted because of disobedience or because God has driven you their to do something in you). Those places that should have you wasting away from need of a refreshing, a thirst quencher. Did you know when we are in our desert places nothing is going to satisfy but the living water, Christ. There is something in you that will trigger if you are in need of water. If we ignore it, it does not go away, it will become more pronounced.
 
God allows the Holy Spirit within us to be that which triggers to tell us we are thirsty, that we are not getting the proper amount of "Living Water" and when we ignore the signs, they do not go away, God just trys to get our attention even more.
 
Today, let us remember that like the children of Israel we have God with us. He is going before us by day and by night. He has not left us alone. He continues to provide for our needs. He provides our food (both natural and spiritual) and he is the water that refreshes our spirits. Let us find joy in knowing that God is with us and that he is the fulfilling that need in us.
 
Lord we thank you for all your provisions that are made available to us. We are unable to stand without you. We thank you for giving us the tools we need to continue and we will walk after you and seek your ways. God quench our thirst, for we thirst for you like the deer that pants after the waters, we thirst for you. God come and fill this thirst within us, give us the refreshing waters for our souls, Amen.