Lent Day Four - Energized

Isaiah 58:9-14 ©

You will be like a spring whose waters never run dry

The Lord says this:

If you do away with the yoke,

the clenched fist, the wicked word,

if you give your bread to the hungry,

and relief to the oppressed,

your light will rise in the darkness,

and your shadows become like noon.

The Lord will always guide you,

giving you relief in desert places.

He will give strength to your bones

and you shall be like a watered garden,

like a spring of water

whose waters never run dry.

You will rebuild the ancient ruins,

build upon the old foundations.

You will be called ‘Breach-mender’,

‘Restorer of ruined houses.’

If you refrain from trampling the sabbath,

and doing business on the holy day,

if you call the Sabbath ‘Delightful’,

and the day sacred to the Lord ‘Honourable’,

if you honor it by abstaining from travel,

from doing business and from gossip,

then shall you find your happiness in the Lord

and I will lead you triumphant over the heights of the land.

I will feed you on the heritage of Jacob your father.

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

It was very remarkable what happened this morning.  The Master once again built a small fire and called us around it.  He called us around and once again delivered a small piece of the desert bread to each of us and at his command, we ate it and followed it with a small sip of the common wine sipped at our meals.  For those of us who had a private talk with Him yesterday, the bread flooded our bodies with energy and good feeling and I swear I could feel my soul expand with love for those around me.  No sooner had we taken the meal, it was all we had that day, the Master told us to load up for we had a long way to go this day if we were to arrive at the oasis on Sunday.  Spurring us one was the report from one of my comrades that the water barrel had been emptied this morning and we had to better plan on arriving at the oasis no later than the next day.  Still, with a light heart, I loaded my camel, Samuel by name, he is one of the gentler ones and he and I have built a solid relationship with one another.  I load him carefully and stay out of spitting distance and he for his part ignores me as I lead him day by day.  One of my fellow travelers was having trouble with his camel.  The camel, Hercules by name, was loaded but he refused to take his place in line.  As a matter of fact, when Hercules is urged forward, he gives us a class in stubbornness.  A pull on the halter is rewarded with a cascade of spit being sent towards the one pulling the halter.  My companion, one who had not had a private talk with the Master, was pulling and dodging the spit and the camel would simply not move. My comrade cussed, cursed, and told the camel some amazing facts about its ancestry, painting a lurid picture especially of the relationship between him and his mother.  The Master came and standing beside me, looked with some concern as he needed us to leave at once.  He took the reigns of Samuel from me and asked in His gentle voice to help my brother with ending the work stoppage.  I thought that there had to be a reason, other than we were dealing with a camel, that the beast did not want to walk.  I knew that it wasn't because it was too hot, the sun had just risen and the chill of the night was giving way slowly to the heat.  The camel could not be tired, we had rested for twelve hours.   I carefully made my way to Hercule's side, my fellow traveler holding the halter so that Hercules could not award me some of his best spit for being near him when he was in such a mean state.  I looked and the bundles appeared to be strapped perfectly balanced and the blanket was in place to guard against hurting the camel's skin.  Then I saw it.  On the driver's side rear leg a buckle was partially open and was digging into the soft flesh beneath causing a sharp pain every time the laden Hercules took a step.  I rapidly fix the buckle and when urged forward by his handler he descended into his normal somewhat docile demeanor and took his place in line. We were off.

What amazed me this morning was how our small morsel of bread had energized those who had spoken with the Master the night before.  I myself wanted to help wherever I could and looked for ways to be of service even as the sun came overhead and started to slow-cook my brain!  All that had taken the bread were energetic but those of us who spoke openly and honestly with the Master in private seemed to have gained more from the breakfast bread than the others.  Then it hit me.  What I needed to do to retain my good attitude would be to remember to be humble enough to confess my faults regularly and that very moment I resolved to do so.

The heat was oppressive as always and we kept our slow and steady pace, resting for lunch.  We husbanded our water since the barrel was now dry and out thoughts about a cool oasis with shade trees that would shield us from the pestilential sun propelled our steps.  One of the men shouted at the Master that he could not go on and was about to die from thirst.  The Master looked at him and told him to fill his canteen from the barrel as he did before.  He mocked the Master and told Him that attempting to fill his canteen from the empty barrel would be a fool's errand.  The thirst got the better of me and I walked to the barrel.  To display my faith I opened my canteen and upended it and spilled the remnant of the water on the desert floor.  The sand eagerly drank it down and in just a moment the sun had tidied up the desert floor and there was no indication that anything had been poured there.  I held my canteen under the tap and water flowed into my canteen.  If this wasn't amazing enough, the water which was stored in full view of the sun, was cold as if pumped from deep within the earth.  I looked at the Master and He smiled and nodded and I drank the whole canteen down and filled it again.  I closed the spigot and made way for the next companion who was treated to all he needed for now and in the future.  There is nothing that the Master cannot do.  He fed us with bread that gave us energy and serenity and now He made water flow in the desert.  I realized then that those that trusted in Him were going to be in for a wonderful life.  There would be ups and downs, and probably a stubborn camel or two.  But in the end, we will win the prize of being the Master's hands, feet, eyes, and voice wherever we go. 

A Beautiful Song For You 

"Into The Desert" 

Curtis Stephan · Sarah Hart