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Daily Bible Devotion - GodPrints

This daily Bible devotion takes an everyday occurrence and connects it with God's Word to teach us a spiritual truth to help us grow in Christ and bring encouragement. 

God is at work in us and all around us.  Our fingerprints identify us, and God has placed His identifying marks all over our world and lives to point us to Him!  This type of Bible devotion lesson is meant to help us see His "Godprints."

"Where Did the Water Go?!"  
[A Godprint Daily Bible Devotion Lesson]

Meditate:

Have you ever felt dry in your spiritual walk? I usually call these desert seasons.

I live on a lake, but right now you’d never know it! My view outside the window is no longer a body of still water beautifully reflecting the clouds in the sky. It now looks more like a desert wasteland full of dead stumps with barely a spattering of water here and there along with a very small natural creek.

You may be wondering what happened. Where did the water go?


daily devotion water

Every seven years they do a “draw down” on the lake where they open up the doors of the dam and lower the water level. This is mainly done so lake residents can work on their sea walls, piers, etc.

I share all this with you because it reminds me how a dryness can occur in our spiritual lives too. We may begin to wonder – “Where did the Living Water go?”

These “desert times” are when I don’t sense God’s presence as much or can’t see the work He is doing. How often though we go about our busy routines not realizing the water level is dropping. But like deserts, the water is still there no matter how dry it may look or feel.

Deep below the surface the water remains, but to reach it, one must either dig deep or wait for the rains. It takes time to draw close to receive the refreshing rains which God sends or to dig deep in our quiet times actively seeking His face.


Isaiah 35 is a beautiful passage of God’s promise to restore the streams in the desert.


“The wilderness and the desert will rejoice,
And the desert will shout for joy and blossom;
Like the crocus
2 It will blossom profusely
And rejoice with joy and jubilation.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
The majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They will see the glory of the LORD,
The majesty of our God.
3 Strengthen the exhausted, and make the feeble strong.
4 Say to those with anxious heart,
“Take courage, fear not.
Behold, your God will come with vengeance;
The retribution of God will come,
But He will save you.”
5 Then the eyes of those who are blind will be opened,
And the ears of those who are deaf will be unstopped.
6 Then those who limp will leap like a deer,
And the tongue of those who cannot speak will shout for joy.
For waters will burst forth in the wilderness,
And streams in the desert.” (verses 1-6)

When these deep streams in the desert surface, they may cause an oasis to appear in the midst of the barren land. It is the water of an oasis that draws thirsty wanderers.

Worldatlas.com explains – “An oasis can be formed in many ways. In some cases, it is formed when faulting and climatic conditions create a depression in an arid region. Over a long period, the depression is deepened and enlarged by harsh weather conditions in the desert. The depression deepens further and reaches the water table. The underground water comes to the surface to form an oasis. An oasis is also formed when water from underground aquifers and rivers are pushed to the surface. Surface rivers, rainstorms, and other natural factors also lead to the formation of oases.”


These forces may feel unpleasant at the time, and we may view them negatively. God, on the other hand, may be using them to restore the freshness of His Spirit deep in our souls causing it to erupt to the surface of our lives so we can become a spiritual oasis for others. An oasis makes the water available on the surface that it may be easily found. Thereby, we are able to become a place of hope and refreshment to the world around us all for His glory.

Another thing I have noticed as the water diminished was the change in which type of birds come to the lake bed. When the lake is full, we see a variety including pelicans, eagles, hawks, kingfishers, geese, ducks and more. When the water became shallow, there were still many herons feeding on the small fish in areas left with shallow water. But now that there is very little water, there are mainly crows and buzzards. The birds have gone from those who thrive by feeding upon the life in the lake to only those who come to eat the dead scraps left.

What is our life offering to those around us? Are we an oasis in the desert? Is His Living Water flowing through us offering life, or do we only have scraps to offer because the water that is left has become stagnant?

The water hasn’t disappeared forever. The lake will begin to fill again, but it will take time. The refilling of the lake is totally dependent upon the rainfall. This is a reminder of my own spiritual need for His refreshing rains; I can’t refill myself. It’s a reminder to thirst for His presence, to be still and be filled with His Spirit.

Even though the view out my window is far from pretty, it reminds me to appreciate the beauty of when the water is there. It also reminds me the water will return, and in this period of “dryness or drought,” I am to thirst for the Living Water drawing ever closer acknowledging my need daily for Him while also being an oasis for others.


daily devotion spiritual dryness


Additional note…5 months later: The rains have come and the lake is refilling! One of the first birds I’ve seen back on the lake is a beautiful white swan, the first I’ve ever seen here! Be ready; after times of spiritual drought, God will most likely send you something brand new you weren’t even expecting!  He is good! 


swan on lake


Even today as I write this update, about a hundred white pelicans and American coots have joined the swan in front of our house.  Why have they all come back?  They have come for the new life in the water...the fish!


Daily Bible Devotion Key Verses

John 7:37-38 – “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” NIV

Jeremiah 29:13 – “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” NIV

Philippians 1:6 - “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” NIV

Philippians 2:13 – “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.” NIV

Hebrews 13:5 – “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” NASB

Psalm 100:5 - "For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations." ESV

Psalm 119:68 - "You are good and do good; teach me your statutes." ESV


Activate:

Godprint Daily Bible Devotion Take-alongs

If you're like me, my daily Bible devotion time is limited by the busyness of the day.  Therefore I like to find ways for God to continue to bring back the thoughts and lessons from that time. 

  1.  Many health experts advise us to drink eight glasses of water a day which can be quite challenging in the midst of a busy day!  Let's make an even better challenge: for the next week challenge yourself to stop during the day to read eight Bible verses!
  2. How often during the day do you see water?  Do you pass any bodies of water while you're out or how about showering, fixing your coffee or tea, washing your hands, etc.?  Let these remind you to give thanks to God for His Living Water and spend a few minutes in praise and prayer.  You could even leave a glass full of water where you'll see it often throughout your day as a reminder you're never alone and God is at work even when we may not see it or feel His presence.
  3. Not all spiritually dry seasons are our own fault, but sometimes we allow the water to drain and need a time to turn back to the Lord.  There may be some things in our life that shouldn't be there.  Fill a bowl with water, take your shoes off and place your feet in it for a time of prayer being honest with the Lord and allowing Him to make you clean again ready to be filled up with His Living Water.

John 13:10 tells us when Jesus washed the disciples feet -

"Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” NIV

And 1 John 1:9 promises -

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." ESV


© Copyright 2024 Susan Smart.


Looking for more daily Bible devotions?

We have more Godprint daily Bible devotion lessons like this one...or our Bible Seeker Object Lessons with extension activities for teaching. 

We also have a family object lesson devotion on the Living Water with fun activities!


water fountain

Baylor University fountains - Waco, TX 


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