Dust and River Beds

Dust. I hate it. Don't you? It sits on the top of our television, on the top of a bookshelf and even gets on the bottoms of your feet as you walk through the house. Ahhhhh I can't stand dirt on the bottom of my feet! But I hate the dust, that fine dust, that comes when someone drops a plate or a cup and it shatters everywhere. Quick, grab the broom before someone gets cut. And don't you dare come around as you clean without shoes on. But I hate dust in a river bed even more.

I live in the country and on my property there is a small creek. I occasionally need time to clear my head so I will get out and walk my property lines. One day this last summer I was walking and I walked to the creek hoping to hear the sounds of trickling water. But when I arrived not only was there no sound, but there was also no water. The creek bed was dry. Dust dry. What a shame! This beautiful creek bed was tucked away on my property but it had no purpose. It was just a dry indented place in the dirt. More recently we have had TONS of rain where I live and I walked down there knowing that I would hear the sounds of rushing water, and I did! It was SO refreshing to see that creek full of water! And then, just like that, God whispered. That is exactly how I feel when I see a life that is being used in the way that I designed it to be used. Sigh!

You see when we feel like we have dust in our lives, sadness, disappointments, unfulfilled, most times it is because we are not experiencing what God wants to give us. Purpose. We can look at something in life, possessions, title, relationships, insert anything here, and think, "Maybe that will help me. Maybe that is what I need to make me happy. Maybe THAT will be what is missing." But in the end, it is all lies. There is a hole within us. A DESIGNED hole. It has a special cut size and the only thing that can fill it is the right thing. God. 

You can work a puzzle and be missing one piece. JUST ONE PIECE, and the picture on the puzzle will not be beautiful. You can take another piece, maybe even a puzzle piece the EXACT same size and try to put it in the empty hole but you know what? The picture will not be beautiful.

See, the enemy tries to use our dust against us. Look at what you have done! Look at how broken you are! Look at all the wrong things you have done!! You can't be used! But really, we are all just creek beds. You don't have to BECOME the water you just have to allow the water to flow through you. A creek bed doesn't have to supply its own water to fulfill its purpose. The dust goes away when the water flows through it.

Friend, we ARE ALL just creek beds. You can sit there and allow the dust of your life to be the focus, OR you can just offer yourself up to the one who will do it all. You just have to allow HIS LIVING WATER to flow through you. There is nothing more beautiful than a creek full of water and friend, there is nothing more beautiful than someone who is full of Jesus. Let Jesus cover up your dust and you just be the outlet He uses to allow His life giving water to flow through you, and into others!

John 7:37

"He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, "From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water."