Isaiah 44:3 (NRSV)
Read Isaiah 44:3 on biblegateway.com
Verse 3For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my spirit upon your descendants, and my blessing on your offspring.
Devotion
Water marks God's promise not only for people but also for land. Throughout the Bible nature is pictured as alive, active and needful of God's care. In Job 38:25-27, God sends rain to the desert, not because of human need but because the desert needs rain. In a world of environmental concerns, such divine abundance touches our hearts.
In Scripture the fate of nature is intertwined with that of humanity. In Deuteronomy 30:19-20, when God makes a covenant with Israel, heaven and earth are called upon as witnesses. When Israel obeys God's commands, the earth is blessed. When it does not, all nature cries out and curses replace blessings. The world responds to our choices and actions.
In today's passage, God's covenant promise goes beyond our expectations. God's promise of pouring out real water on a thirsty land is parallel to the divine Spirit being poured out on the people. Water and Spirit are both instruments of blessing. Baptismal promises echo throughout the land and the voices of nature and humanity join in praise to God.
Prayer
We give thanks, O Lord, along with your thirsty land, that you continue to pour out your Spirit on all your creation. Amen.