June 3rd
The Mountain Retreat
A number of years ago I found an old abandon one room school house in the mountains. I made inquiry about it and to make a long, long story short, made arrangements to lease it. I had it for almost 10 years, before losing the lease to a sale of the property. It was a great retreat house. I transformed the one room into a hotel-looking like lobby. By that I mean I put in a free standing fire place, old stuffed furniture, etc. For that period of time every Thursday morning after my 9:00 a.m. meeting with the pastors in my city, I would go there to study. I could always accomplish more in 4 or 5 hours there than in my office.
But what was on the outside of CASE DE SWALLOW, as I called it, merits our attention. When I first got the place I ordered 500 small pine saplings. Mind you the house, while in the mountains, was in a large field of maybe 8-10 acres. No trees. So, I planted two rows of 57 trees on the long driveway leading up to the Casa de Swallow. And the rest I planted on the fence line and other various places. Then there was an area quite large across a gully. I planted the trees there real close together. I mean like 3 feet, some less, some more. Reason? It was going to be a Prayer Forest. After the trees grew I was planning on going in with a chain saw and make a meandering trail to a large opening.
The prayer forest never occured. The beautiful 2 rows of closely planted trees on the drive way are not there today. You ask why? Reason? They never made it to what I had planned for them because of the hot spring/summer and lack of water. The only 11 that remain to this day are the ones close to the house. They were the ones that got my special attention. (There was no way to water hundreds of little trees so far away from water.)
Application and Implication
You have probably already guessed it. In going through a drought in living - you know those hot times when nothing seemingly is going right, etc. we need "the water of LIFE" In John, chapter 6, Jesus declares himself to be that water.
What I do, my friend, when I feel I am getting drained of sap is to go to Jesus and ask for refreshment. He is true to His Word and will give freely. No, I can't see or physically taste the water, but there is something in my soul that responds to the refreshment. I can then lift my limbs in praise and thanksgiving.
My prayer for you:
Lord, I ask in the name of Jesus that this one be like my 11 remaing trees which are strong, healthy and tall. You have likened the believer as a tree in the Bible. And the one planted by the river survives. I speak encouragement to this one to have faith to drink deeply from the never ending supply of life flowing water.
Amen