August 29

Plentiful Refreshment

They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will be radiant over the bounty of the LORD—the grain, new wine, and oil, and the young of the flocks and herds. Their life will be like a well-watered garden, and never again will they languish. — Jer 31:12 BSB

Oh, to have your soul cultivated by heaven—to no longer be a wilderness but a garden of the Lord! Enclosed and protected from the wasteland, surrounded by the walls of grace, planted with divine instruction, visited by God’s love, weeded by heavenly discipline, and guarded by His power—this is the favored soul, prepared to produce fruit for the Lord.

But a garden can become dry without water, and then everything in it withers and dies. Oh, my soul, how quickly this would happen to you if the Lord were to leave you! In the East, a garden without water stops being a garden altogether—nothing can grow or even survive. But when irrigation is steady, the results are wonderful. Oh, to have your soul watered by the Holy Spirit constantly, so that every part of the garden gets its own stream! To be watered abundantly, so that every tree and herb, no matter how thirsty, receives enough refreshment! To be watered continually, so that each hour brings not only its heat but also its refreshment! To be watered wisely, with each plant getting exactly what it needs. You can tell where the water flows by the lush green growth, and in the same way, you can see the Spirit of God at work in someone’s life.

O Lord, water me today, and help me produce a full harvest for You, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.