A Spiritual Geography Lesson

I was in the fourth grade when I was introduced to geography. I hated it. Because of my learning disabilities the maps looked like someone spilled colored spaghetti on them. I had trouble visualizing or imaging the places I was told about. I am amazed at how things have changed, now I am fascinated by maps and find that I can learn spiritual truths from geography.

It's in Deuteronomy 11 that God teaches His people a spiritual geography lesson.  He does it by comparing Egypt to Israel. In Egypt the people sowed their seeds and irragated it. The land was dependent on the Nile for water. When God lead His people into the Promise Land the geography was different now the land was a land of hills and valleys. This land would not receive it's water from irrigation but instead, "drink water by the rain from heaven."

This is where I find the spiritual lesson in what God had to say about the land. "The eyes of the LORD your God are always upon it, from the first of the year to the end of the year. And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil."(Deuterium 11:12-14)

Sometimes in life I experience spiritual drought. When this happens and life seems dry and unpleasant I am faced the choice of what to do about it. Do I go back to "Egypt" where although I experienced slavery I had some control over getting what I wanted by my own efforts?  Or do I lift my face to the heavens and call out for mercy?

Lord Jesus, I am dependent on You. When times of spiritual drought come let my prayer be, "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" Psalm 139:23-24