“I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken and done it,” declares the Lord.
– Ezekiel 37:14
How has our nation become so dry in its devotion to God? The answer is simple—we have turned to other things for refreshment. We have tried to encourage ourselves without God. We have turned and walked in the opposite direction, searching for something new and thinking it will satisfy our needs. We fill the emptiness in our lives with people instead of God, and immediately they become like gods to us. Then, before we know it, they do something to disappoint us, and we immediately feel betrayed and defeated.
In a nation that has the greatest material advantages, we want more and expect to get it. We’re no longer satisfied with simple things. We have to have the latest flat-screen television. We have the newest computer, and it does more than we will ever use, and still we cry out for more. We have flashier cars and larger homes with walk-in closets and shelves filled with clothing we can’t even remember buying. We repaint rooms in our houses and purchase new furniture, and still we feel empty, alone, and in debt.
Only God has can satisfy the deepest longing in our hearts. Sure, it’s fun to wear a new shirt and feel as though you are looking your best. God isn’t against this. In fact, He wants us to do well in this life. However, He wants us to love Him above all things. He gives good things to His children, but when the good things become objects of worship, we’re headed for trouble.
God will allow us to drift until we wake up and realize that our needs can’t be satisfied by anything or anyone other than God Himself. A new marriage or a new baby won’t relieve the pressure. Many times it only makes it worse.
You can stop the dryness in your life by telling the Lord what you’re facing and how you feel. He understands your needs, but He also knows that you will find true and lasting refreshment and hope only when you live your life for Him.
