“RIVERS IN THE HIGH PLACES” “When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD WILL hear them, the God of Israel will not forsake them. I WILL open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I WILL make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.” Isaiah 41:17-18
How inexhaustible is the Word of God. It is a never-ending source of instruction, encouragement, and comfort for His covenant people. Consider the offer held out in the text. The only requirement as Joseph Hart says in his hymn “is to feel your need of Him.” No language in the scripture describes the people of God better than our text. When our Lord describes the character of the subjects of His Kingdom in Matthew five He begins with, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” You’ll observe in the text that the emphasis is on the WILLINGNESS of God, not of the sinner. The warrant for believing is the promise. The Lord offers the water to those in whom He has stirred up a sense of thirst. Water has two qualities, cleansing and refreshing; believers cannot survive without it. As soon as Christ had created the thirst within the heart of the woman at Jacob’s well she begged, “Sir, give me this water that I thirst not.” When finally she received the water of life, she being so perfectly satisfied, went from the well leaving her carnal water pots behind. So many poor souls go time and time again to the dry wells of man-made and man-centered religion, coming away as they went, empty and dry. They find neither cleansing, nor refreshing. Empty sermons produce empty professions. Amusement and entertainment may temporarily satisfy the flesh, but only Christ will satisfy the soul. I remember a story of a gentleman who was invited to a church service where emotions and excitement were high. After coming away from the meeting he was asked what his thoughts were. “Dark clouds, high wind, lightning and loud thunder claps, but not a drop of rain.” “Come thou fount of every blessing tune my heart to sing thy grace; streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.” Six thousand years ago the soul of man (in the transgression of Adam) left its’ original home (God). It wanders through life a homeless nomad, and like the dove sent out from the Ark of Noah, finding no place to rest its foot. The wandering soul never finds rest and satisfaction until by the grace of God it comes to rest and reside in Christ alone.
“Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.” (Psalms 116:7)
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