Throughout the Old Testament God often used water and green as a picture of His blessing and drought and desolation as a picture of what happens when He withdraws that blessing. Take this passage from Isaiah 44 for example…
“But now listen, Jacob, my servant, Israel, whom I have chosen. This is what the LORD says—he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun,whom I have chosen.
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams. Some will say, ‘I belong to the LORD’; others will call themselves by the name of Jacob; still others will write on their hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ and will take the name Israel.
…in comparison to this passage regarding the Babylon in Jeremiah 50:
A drought on her waters! They will dry up.
For it is a land of idols, idols that will go mad with terror.
“So desert creatures and hyenas will live there, and there the owl will dwell.
It will never again be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation
In an area like the Plateau trees cause passerby to stop and ask, “What is going on here?” It forces people of the Plateau to compare what Satan has offered them for generations with the beauty and life that Jesus Christ can bring.
Over the last two months we have had more rain than I have ever seen here and the result is breathtaking. Does this mean there will never be a drought here again? Probably not. But one can hardly walk away from the striking beauty of God’s creation that they see here, especially in stark contrast to the desolation that has been Satan’s signature on this area for so long, without marveling at the grandeur of God.
I know I have posted some of these old pictures before but it is always amazing to me to look back at the way things were not too long ago in comparison to today.
2005
2008
Manis in front of the trees today.
When Manis graduated from high school his dream was to become an agronomist. But he could not even afford to pay the bus fare to get him to where the entrance exam was to be taken – let alone pay for university. Several years later Manis dedicated his life to God’s service and now God has given him the joy doing the agronomist type work he had always wanted to do.
2006
2008
Today
2005
Today
2007
Today
2008
Today
2008
Today
2008
Today
Other pictures from today: I had trouble getting some of these pictures because it was drizzling off and on! What a great problem to have!
Key Limes
Acerola Cherries
The rains this summer have allowed hundreds of saplings to take root so that when drought comes they will be able to withstand it. May we so root ourselves in Christ that no matter what life brings our way we may stand firm in Him. And may the fruit that we bear draw others to Him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:8
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Galatians 5:22-23a
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