Hello my friend!
I just got back from a wonderful songwriting trip to Israel. I had some fears before I left, but the LORD took care of each one as I faced them and flew to the other side of the world.
I had the opportunity to go to Israel several years ago, but my health was not good and I walked around with a migraine for most of my time there. I was praying that this time would be different and awesome. God completely answered that prayer.
I could tell you a thousand things about the trip, but let me share just one pearl or “aha” moment I had while I was there. We visited the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found - Qumran. At the top of that mountain is a view of the beautiful Dead Sea. You might not associate the word beautiful with Dead Sea, but I can assure you, from this mountain top, that water looks breathtaking. As I was enjoying a quiet moment with the LORD and staring down at the Dead Sea, God began to speak to me about salt, life, death, and water.
We often think water is the primary need for life. It’s true we would die without water in our bodies. However, it dawned on me that we need salt too. In fact, if you go to the hospital, and they give you fluids in an IV bag, it is Normal Saline. It’s water + salt. Our bodies actually needs salt to function and live. If we get too low on either salt or water, we die.
From this observation the LORD pointed out two truths to me.
God brings life out of dead things. The Dead Sea is so salty that if you drink even a little bit, it will cause dehydration and death. However, the Dead Sea is also full of minerals and salt that are used for cosmetics, food, and nourishment to the body. It’s just like God to take something that is “dead” (we have literally named it “Dead”) and bring sustenance, life, and good out of it. The Dead Sea is not really dead at all. It is full of substances we need for life.
Maybe you have some “dead” places in your life…God can bring life from that place and to that place. Ask Him to come into your Dead Seas and bring His Living Water. Perhaps it’s a dead or distant relationship with your child or your spouse. Maybe it’s some kind of dead place in your body - an illness that is causing death. Release His living water to those places. Invite Him to flow into those dead areas, cells, and bones, and bring life.
Since salt and water are both required for life, this is a great reminder that we are to be in partnership with God. Jesus is the Living Water, but He calls us the “salt of the earth.” Salt and water in the right combination are the substances of life itself. You and I, the salt of the earth, when flowing with Living Water, have the capacity to nourish the nations. We nourish our families, our friendships, our spheres of influence through this life-giving water that runs through our own salt.
The LORD flowing through us causes us to become the “Normal Saline” that revives, restores, and heals humans hearts and bodies. Imagine that. Keep in mind though, the right combination is a whole lotta living water, and a little bit of salt. More Him. Less us.
Colossians 1:27 tells us that Christ in us is the hope of glory.
Question: Is God’s living water flowing through you? Is it nourishing you so that you can nourish others? Are you full of an abundance of salt that lacks living water? Are you thirsty? Are you craving the living water to come and fill you? What are you willing to do about it?
Salt + Water = Life.
You + God = Life.
I want to thank you for praying for me on my trip. I felt those prayers, and I could literally feel the LORD giving me His strength and living water for every step of the journey. Thank you for praying!
Be nourished my friend. God loves you and wants to be your Living Water.
Joyfully,
Rachel B.
PS, if you are not on Facebook, here is a video of “Down to the River”, a song we wrote after being baptized in the Jordan. We enjoyed several opportunities to write songs while we were there. I love all the songs, but this one is so much fun! Enjoy and be blessed.