A cool drink of water...

Dear friends,

I wanted to share this devotion from MOPS group, on the topic of Refreshment, with you. Personally, I have experienced those times where there was a need for refreshment and relief. Hope this will be as encouraging to you as it was for me.

Refreshment:

To have ones strength restored. Filled up again so you can keep going.

Relief:
Ease or comfort. Removal of the stress, provides a needed change.

As the severity of our pain increases,

our perception of the need for relief increases.

Two potential problems we encounter with this is:

1. When running on empty, we seek refreshment, but from the wrong source.

• Sometimes we need MORE than refreshment.
• What do you do? or Where do you go to?
• Is it leaving the house, getting a massage, ice cream, going for a run, the Internet, talking on the phone, hobbies, taking a nap, working in the garden, etc. What do you do you do to refresh your self? Some of these things are not necessarily bad for us, but can become Idols in our lives.
• Key Scriptures: Isaiah 55 and Psalm 119:7

2. When suffering hits hard, we become desperate for relief, when what we really need is refreshment.

• Take running a marathon: Joggers "live" for water stations. Sometimes they don't stop for the water station, because they want to get to the finish line faster. Now this can be disastrous. Some run a 5 K and some run a marathon, but they all need the water stations to get to the finish line.
• Key Scripture: Psalms 73:21-28 and 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

THE SOLUTION:

1. Our Part: Those who are thirsty will be filled. Our job is to develop a thirst for God.

2. God's Part: He promises to satisfy us.

• Key Scriptures: Psalm 42:1-2, Psalm 63 & 84

3. The repentant heart finds refreshment:

• Key Scriptures: Acts 3:19

Our perspective should be:

As our pain increases, we have a need of God more.