January 8, 2025 Devo

When my family and I moved to Phoenix in 1996, it was the first time we’d ever lived in a desert area. Adapting to the lack of greenery and having an all-rock yard took some getting used to. As did the extreme heat of summer. But one of the surprising aspects of desert life that we had to learn to adjust to was simply the dryness of the air. Even in the heat, you didn’t really perspire that much. The water in your body simply evaporates. We had to drink more water than ever, especially when hiking, golfing, or doing activities outdoors. The adage was, “If you’re feeling thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.” You had to get ahead of it.
Notice that our psalmist brings out this same idea in our passage today. When we keep an ongoing stream of God’s Word and God’s Spirit in our lives, he says that, “Their leaves never wither.” In other words, they stay hydrated. There’s no need to worry about the rain or the heat when you’re planted by a river. Your soul stays refreshed. Your thirst for God stays quenched. Your stamina and strength stay strong.
Too many times we make the same mistake that people new to the desert make. We wait until we’re thirsty to take a drink. Think about it. When do you usually find yourself getting worn down by the Enemy? When do you find yourself wilting under the heat of opposition or temptation? When do you feel as if you’re in a spiritual desert? It’s when you’ve been letting your time with God slide, slipping away from feeding your soul or seeking God’s presence. You’ve waited until your life has grown thirsty to return to the spring of God’s life-giving Spirit. By then, you’re already spiritually dehydrated. Now you’re trying to catch up.
You don’t have to wither in the heat of the world. You don’t have to allow your soul to get thirsty or become spiritually dry. The Well of God’s Goodness is open to us every moment of every day. Stop a moment before you leave in the morning. Pause from time to time throughout the day. Take a few minutes to take a good long drink from God’s life-giving Word. Water your soul with the presence of God and you’ll stay ahead of the heat. Stay watered and you won’t wither. That’s God’s Word for you today.