“For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer, Selah” Psalms 32:4

It’s not hard in the midst of the summer’s heat to be reminded of just how dry the earth can become; the loss of moisture that results in hard, dry, cracked patches of nothingness, where once was life and beauty. The flowers become brittle and lifeless, no indication of their prior beauty.

There are times in my life when I come to just such a place, times when I have allowed sin to creep into my heart; times when I have allowed myself to wander away from God toward the things of this world. In those times, I find the fresh supply of water within my soul begins to dry up, bringing about hard, cracked patches of lifeless ugliness. In those times of drought in my life, I find myself longing for the feeling of joy within that only exists when I am near my Shepherd. When I reach that point I have to return seeking forgiveness and cleansing.

“ I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.” Psalms 32:5

It is then that my Shepherd will restore my soul, leading me back to the still waters where I can once again find the source of my strength beside the still waters of His Word.

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Psalm 23:1-3

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8

“And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” Isaiah 58:11

Even in the midst of the summer’s heat, the Lord has promised to see me through the drought, creating in and through me a well watered garden.