Summertime is well underway this year here in Oregon and there's been little rain for months.
Things are very dry which makes for good outdoor activity, but not so great if you like water sports. We like our outdoor activities in the Pacific Northwest because typically it can rain for 9 months of the year. It seems to have changed in the past few years though.
And while we don't look like the Mojave or Sahara Deserts, we do have some serious weather issues.
The interesting correlation between physical dryness and spiritual dryness is a lack of something. Water tends to bring purification and energy to life and especially helps flora and fauna.
Spiritual dryness can come from a lack of Spiritual connection to our power source: Jesus and the Holy Spirit!
You're probably wondering why a musician's blog is talking about dryness? Well, it has everything to do with life, love, and inspiration. When our spiritual life is dry and we're not seeking to get it filled up, we can't be the vessels of God's love. It shows up in everything we do.
Think about it for a minute: You've no doubt seen a lackluster performance of a band, comic, book reading or something that just seemed, well, boring. If it didn't hold your interest, then why were they doing it?
It's the same in our spiritual lives. We need Holy Spirit power!
Now I'm not recommending giving up. On the contrary, I'm urging you to get reconnected to the original power source and get back to a fulfilled life!
King David in the Bible had done egregious sins when he committed adultery with Uriah the Hittite's wife Bathsheba and then had him killed. Nathan the prophet confronted David with what he'd done and David wrote in confession Psalm 51. Especially poignant are the following verses:
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.
2 Wash me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.
3 For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.
4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
and your judgment against me is just.
5 For I was born a sinner—
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
6 But you desire honesty from the womb,
teaching me wisdom even there.
7 Purify me from my sins,
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Oh, give me back my joy again;
you have broken me—
now let me rejoice.
9 Don’t keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
You may notice that I particularly highlighted rejoice, clean heart, loyal, and joy. They naturally go together because when we have that nurturing from Holy Spirit and His power, we have these fruits in our hearts.
It may take a little effort, but isn't it worth having a healthy heart in life? Of course it is and you can do it too by listening, loving and obeying God and taking Him at His word!
Then you can literally enjoy walking (or surfing) on water!
Bend, Oregon Old Mill Area Waterway with Surfers