Damming the Waters

The apartment complex where I live is like an evergreen tree planted in the middle of the Sahara Desert. It’s an evergreen tree so there must be some hope there. But the water that gives life is barely present. Home Health Aides, Meals on Wheels, and transportation service for Veterans are here on a daily basis. We are people in need. I don’t see any boyfriends and girlfriends coming and going and I think that is unfortunate. Especially when so many residents are single and 30ish. After 7 years of living here, I can see that the residents are either single, married without children, empty nesters, or elderly who live alone. Many go back and forth to work but that seems to be the extent of their social events. There is no liveliness within social life. New life is not breathed into this area, as one apartment empties it is leased to another empty nester. We all seem to have a certain air of dignity about us though. In Jesus, I hope for my home in Heaven, “The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.” Isaiah 35:1-2

Then there are the families who teem with life and those life waters seem to pour into them bountifully. Several of my siblings refer to them as human robots. They exuberate with happiness and seem to be enjoying bountiful health. They are married, or have a mate-for-life, and are birthing children. I see them with their children. Their social life is flowing with rivers as their homes have numerous cars crowding their driveways. I see it. I envision their roots absorbing all the water from the soil of the people living in the apartments where I live. The more waters of life they gain in their roots the more the other sector of people dries up and withers away. Isaiah encourages us who are in those parched territories, “Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” Isaiah 35:3-4 Jesus is coming.

This is a glimpse into our new neighborhood, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” Revelation 22:1-2

Isaiah 35