One of the beauties of walking in the countryside is the many woods and rivers close to us which provide us with the opportunity to savour and examine God’s wonderful creation. There are so many different trees, so many wildflowers and so many creatures to examine that it is truly mind-blowing.
When it’s hot, we tend to wilt a little, and the little streams and brooks, not to mention the fast-flowing rivers and waterfalls found in many valleys, become sources of refreshment. Ps 23:2 talks about God leading us beside ‘quiet waters’; Ps 68:9 talks of being refreshed by God’s abundant showers. The Bible often speaks of water in this way: as the source of refreshment, cooling, and life. Trees planted by water tend to thrive and not wither (Ps 1:3):
Jeremiah speaks of God leading us beside streams of water on level ground so that we do not stumble (Jer 31:9):
All of us feel like wilting and withering at times as the ‘heat’ of life drains us and saps us. If we are to thrive like the trees planted by streams of water, we need to drink daily from God and allow His living water to flow from within us, refreshing our weariness and providing life-giving water not only to us but to those around us. (John 7:37-38)
