Landscape of Life

In the previous two posts, Water Cycle and Never Empty-Handed, we explored two wonders of the hydrologic cycle.

First is the wide array of effects that rain and snow have on the natural environment, both directly and multiplied through inter-action with other processes. The second is the parallel impact that God’s communiques have on the landscape of our hearts.

Like rain and snow, the Bible is designed by God to have a transforming effect on our lives.

One psalm writer ‘hid God’s word in his heart’, like a personal reservoir he could draw on so that his good intentions would not wilt in the summer heat or when moral fatigue set in (Psalm 119:11). Another let the stories of God’s way flow over his mind and heart the way a tree rooted by a riverbank is sustained and nourished (Psalm 1:3).

God’s word comes in other ways besides the written scriptures. God's Spirit is constantly whispering God’s heart into the heart of those willing to listen. Bill Hybel’s book The Power of a Whisper is a wonderful exploration of God’s still small voice. But as Hybels reminds us, we have to be willing to listen and respond.
'Full throttle faith, he says, 'resides in fully yielded hearts.'

This blog is a response to such a whisper. As a result of God’s prompt to me, though I didn’t recognize it at the time, I began exploring this theme of the wonders of water in the Bible - and then (after a few more prompts) sharing my reflections here. Blogger tells me that people in Poland and Philippines and Pakistan and lots of other places are reading it. That’s very gratifying.

That’s the multiplier effect, just like the cumulative effect of rain on the macro environment. God’s word is also designed to achieve effects far into the future beyond what we can see today, beyond what we might consider our immediate needs. Obedience opens up opportunities and possibilities we cannot foresee, like Israel's exiles in Babylon – something beyond their imagining.

The word of God in written scripture, wise counsel and the voice within, is as powerful and real as the billions of tons of rain that fell last night around the world. Both are designed to bring the world to greater fruitfulness. What effect are you letting the rain having on the landscape of your life?

P.S.
Blogger can tell me how many page-views a day this blog gets – and where those viewers live, but it can’t tell me is if anyone is actually doing anything different as a result of these words. Like any communicator, I hope this blog is achieving something worthwhile. (See the side-bar list of my goals for this blog). But I would love to hear if they’re having any effect for you. Let me and other readers know with a brief comment below or e-mail reply. Thanks.