Oasis

I mentioned in an earlier blog that recently we travelled to Poza de la Becerra, an spring-fed lake in the middle of the desert, about 2 hours away from San Pedro by bus. To get there, you have to drive through a long stretch of desert – rocks, sand, scrubby plants, and mountains. Then, a quick left turn and suddenly…trees. And grass. And a lake! In the most unlikely place imaginable, there is an oasis, actually a series of waterholes fed by an underground spring. Each is home to a species of fish that isn’t found anywhere else in the world – if you stand too long in the shallow water, though, they tend to bite your ankles! Ever since I arrived here, people have been telling me about this place and saying, “You have to go”, but honestly, when the day of the trip finally came, I didn’t want to go. It was two days after youth camp had ended; that weekend we had also gone on an all-day trip Saturday and had a full day of Sunday services. I really just wanted some downtime, not another trip. However, it turned out to be one of the most relaxing, fun days I have had in Mexico. The weather was perfect, there were no crowds to speak of, and for a while we could forget about the work waiting for us at home.

In Matthew 11, Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." He knew what it was to be weary and in need of rest, and he offers himself as an oasis for our souls, a place where we can go and be refreshed with living water. A church service, your time alone with God, reading the Bible, prayer – all these things can be oases, springs of life in the middle of whatever desert we are going through. BUT, we do have to make the journey! I could have stayed home and rested, but I would have missed experiencing the poza, something I could only do by making the journey. Sometimes when we’re tired, the last thing we want to do is go to church or read the Bible – but if we don’t, we will miss the chance to have a closer encounter with God. And just like the water in the poza is continually renewed from the underground spring, each time we seek an oasis with God, he will bring something new into our lives and spirits.

They will neither hunger nor thirst,
nor will the desert heat or the sun beat upon them.
He who has compassion on them will guide them
and lead them beside springs of water. (Isaiah 49:10)

---