{"id":1122,"date":"2010-05-23T00:00:01","date_gmt":"2010-05-23T00:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2010\/05\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-streams-in-the-desert.html"},"modified":"2010-05-23T00:00:01","modified_gmt":"2010-05-23T00:00:01","slug":"sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-streams-in-the-desert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/05\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-streams-in-the-desert.html","title":{"rendered":"Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling<\/em>: Streams in the Desert"},"content":{"rendered":"
Restore our fortunes, LORD,
<\/font><\/div>\n
as streams renew the desert.<\/font><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

Psalm 126:4
\n<\/div>\n

Psalm 126 begins by celebrating the return of the Israelites from exile (126:1). It was a time of laughter as God’s people rejoiced in the “amazing things” God had done for them (126:2-3).<\/p>\n

But the festivity did not last. In time, Israel began to resemble a dry desert, a place of infertility and inhospitality. So the psalmist cries out, “Restore our fortunes, LORD, as streams renew the desert” (126:4). The Hebrew of this verse refers to a particular desert region, the Negev, which lay to the south of Israel. For most of the year, it was a dry and desolate place. But when the rains came and filled its streambeds, the Negev would soon be blanketed with flowers and other natural growth. (Photo: The Negev today, from Beersheba. Photo courtesy of http:\/\/www.holylandphotos.org\/<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\"Beersheba-Negev-stream-8.jpg\"<\/span>In the last couple of years, the Hill Country of Texas suffered a major drought. To make matters even worse, last summer we experienced all-time record heat. Trees wilted, plants dried up, and the normally lush Hilly Country began to look more and more like a desert. But all of this changed last fall when the skies began to pour. Since then we have been blessed with an unusually wet series of months. Having never experienced anything like this before, I have been amazed at how the streams of water have renewed the Hill Country. Trees look fresh and vibrant. Plants have rejuvenated. My grass is growing like a jungle. And flowers are abundant. (Photo: Wildflowers near Willow City in the Texas Hill Country.)<\/p>\n

\"wildflowers-willow-1-8.jpg\"<\/span>We all go through dry seasons in our lives, times when our souls are parched and our hearts yearn for living water. In these seasons, we echo the prayer of Psalm 126:4: “Restore our fortunes, LORD, as streams renew the desert.” We look to the Spirit of God to wash over us and flow within us, giving us a fresh sense of God’s grace and empowering us to live fruitfully.<\/p>\n

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Have there been times in your life when you have felt like a parched desert? When? What happened? Are you yearning to be renewed through the power of God’s Spirit? Have you asked for this grace?<\/p>\n

PRAYER: Gracious God, thank you for your renewing grace, for the way you restore us and give us new life. Thank you for seasons of dryness that remind us of just how much we need your living water. And thank you for all the times you restore our fortunes as streams renew the desert.
\nContinue to make us new, Lord, through the presence of your Spirit. When our souls are parched, may we open them to you. Refresh us in your grace, so that we might live full and fruitful lives.
\nAll praise be to you, O God who waters the earth and renews our souls. Amen.<\/p>\n

_________________________________________________<\/p>\n

<\/a>Would you like to receive a Daily Reflection like this one in your email inbox each morning?  <\/strong><\/p>\n

Here’s how . . . . <\/em><\/strong>
\nThis devotional comes from The High Calling of Our Daily Work <\/em>(www.thehighcalling.org<\/a>), a wonderful website about work and God<\/em>. You can read my Daily Reflections<\/a> there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox<\/a> each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Restore our fortunes, LORD, as streams renew the desert. Psalm 126:4 Psalm 126 begins by celebrating the return of the Israelites from exile (126:1). It was a time of laughter as God’s people rejoiced in the “amazing things” God had done for them (126:2-3). But the festivity did not last. In time, Israel began to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[155,156,242],"class_list":["post-1122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sunday-inspiration","tag-psalm-126","tag-streams-in-the-desert","tag-sunday-inspiration"],"yoast_head":"\nSunday Inspiration from The High Calling: Streams in the Desert - Mark D. 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Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1122","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1122"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1122\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}