Dry Season
“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”
(Revelation 22:1-5, ESV)
Dry season
comes upon you,
no one escapes.
Parched cracked ground,
cries of thirst.
Wrinkled brown leaves
crack in the wind.
Dry hollows where rivers
once ran.
Promises of harvest die in the
heat.
Anticipation gives way to
decimation.
Dry winds blow hopes away.
Clouds lie about coming
rain,
hoarding their moisture once again.
Deep roots search for relief.
Nature held in death’s grip.
Dry season
comes upon you,
no one escapes.
Rivers of living water
now seem dry.
Lord of the Rain
so far away.
Prayers float to the ground like
groaning leaves fluttering to
nowhere.
Parched hopes wrinkle and die.
Belief’s barren branches
crack in the wind.
Sorrow’s sands fill places
where joy’s rivers once
flowed.
Dry hearts wither from thirst.
Doubt’s searing sun
shrivels the soul.
Praying lips crack,
crying for relief from this
desert journey.
Parched soul,
in all your dryness
with flowers withered on the bush
fallen leaves trampled on the ground,
you are not alone.
Grace has grafted you onto
the Fruitful Vine,
the vine that will never die:
eternal harvest, eternal glory,
fruit that remains.
You are nourished by
Living Water
refreshing the soul with
eternal life
unceasing flow of spiritual sustenance
roots deep in the nutrient soil of the
divine
drinking water falling from above.
The Lord of the Rain is
sovereign
even over the desert places.
He will not abandon even one of his
parched and withering children.
He will open the clouds of his
mercy,
showers of divine blessing.
Withered blossoms burst with new life
deserts alive with lush growth
rivers run
hard soil softens.
Dry season
comes upon you,
no one escapes.
But the dryness doesn’t rule,
the Savior does.
He is with you in the desert
carries you in his heart
watches over you with love
hears your parched cry
has promised to sustain you
and his rain is coming.
“The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”
(Revelation 22:17, ESV)
God bless,
Paul David Tripp
Reflection Questions
1. In what ways are you experiencing a “dry season” in your life right now? Choose any area—financially, physically, emotionally, relationally, or spiritually.
2. Excluding the reality that life in a fallen world always brings drought of some kind, how have your words, actions, or desires contributed to you being parched? In other words, are you reaping a dry harvest because of something you previously sowed? (See Galatians 6:7)
3. Have any dreams of yours “dried up,” leaving you disappointed, bitter, or envious? Who are you blaming or doubting or holding a grudge against because of this?
4. In what ways does the Lord of the Rain seem far away today? But how is he in fact near? What evidence is there of his provision and blessing right here, right now? How has he opened the clouds of his mercy and showered you with divine blessing in the past?
5. Search the Scriptures for verses or passages or parables about rain and drought; for example, Jeremiah 14:22, Zechariah 10:1, or Isaiah 45:8 are just a few. Write some down in a visible place in your home. Next time it rains or you hear of drought, how can you use the metaphor as a spiritual reminder?