Looking For God's New Work

What is it I often long for in the barren soil of parenting? In the hardened ruts of a battlefield when I cannot see any possibility of growth - the terrible twos when I am not sure obedience will happen, in the late teens when I am crying out on their behalf that they will depend on You, sleepless nights with an infant who just won't sleep, or anywhere in between - what do I truly long for?

I long for Your new thing. “Behold I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” ~Isaiah 43:19. I long to see little rivulets begin to run in the dry beds of the hearts of my children and myself - to see a softening of soil crusted over with self reliance and self dependence as the truth that Jesus alone must lead seeps in - to see movement, formation, a becoming in both their heart and mine. Becoming a conduit for the Spirit’s living water promised by Jesus in John 7:37 when His voice rang out in the temple, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 

The hope extended in Isaiah 43 became a promise with the Savior’s sacrifice. He is doing a new work, engaged in the hearts of His people both to call and to change. Christ offers great crashing waves of living water that smooth, reshape, and mold you and me as well as our children through the Spirit of God.

 The new tricklings of water quickly coalesce into streams and rivers, new land watered become places of victory, peace and declaration for others. “For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated receives a blessing from God.” ~Hebrews 6:7 

We are for His praise, that others may see Him in us. God floods my dry beds anew with His living water. His Spirit works in the hard areas and crusty layers, to bring soil useful for cultivating, useful for planting seeds, and for a harvest beyond just me but for the sake of my children and others. Gardens begin to grow where battles have been waged.

My barren soil needs His water; my children need His life giving rivers as well. Am I looking for His New?