Streams in the Desert for Today

One of the treasures that I acquired when my mother passed away a few months ago is her well-worn copy of . This timeless devotional by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman (Lettie Burd Cowman) was first copyrighted in 1925, but it is still being published today.

Over eighty years since its first publication, this amazing devotional is considered to be a Christian classic. Written from Mrs. Cowman’s difficult and rich experiences of missionary life, from its dry wastelands to its well-watered gardens, Streams in the Desert is a legacy of faith and wisdom that leads us to the One who alone can quench our spiritual thirst. Even in today’s fast-paced world, the wisdom of this daily devotional remains refreshingly relevant and trustworthy.

It’s the kind of book that you can turn to every day and tune out the clamor of life. These prayerful writings inspire fresh hope, confidence, and a deep awareness of God’s presence in your life.

Here is the April 18th reading from my mom’s favorite daily devotional. When I read this, I was especially moved by the thought that just as God works the earth, He must pulverize, soften, enrich, and feed us. We are sometimes like hard soil that needs to be cultivated. How does it speak to you?

“And He shall bring it to pass.” Psalm 37:5

I once thought that after I prayed that it was my duty to do everything that I could do to bring the answer to pass. He taught me a better way, and showed that my self-effort always hindered His working, and that when I prayed and definitely believed Him for anything, He wanted me to wait in the spirit of praise, and only do what He bade me. It seems so unsafe to just sit still, and do nothing but trust the Lord; and the temptation to take the battle into our own hands is often tremendous.

We all know how impossible it is to rescue a drowning man who tries to help his rescuer, and it is equally impossible for the Lord to fight our battles for us when we insist upon trying to fight them ourselves. It is not that He will not, but He cannot. Our interference hinders His working.

Spiritual forces cannot work while earthly forces are active.

It takes God time to answer prayer. We often fail to give God a chance in this respect. It takes time for God to paint a rose. It takes time for God to grow an oak. It takes time for God to make bread from wheat fields. He takes the earth. He pulverizes. He softens. He enriches. He wets with showers and dews. He warms with life. He gives the blade, the stock, the amber grain, and then at last the bread for the hungry.

All this takes time. Therefore we sow, and till, and wait, and trust, until all God’s purpose has been wrought out. We give God a chance in this matter of time. We need to learn this same lesson in our prayer life. It takes God time to answer prayer.

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