God, Our Refuge and Living Water

Today, when anyone spoke to me at all, it seemed that one person was talking on one side of me into one ear, and another person was talking to me on the other side of me in the other ear, and they both wanted answers now, or they were going to assume the answers, and before I got around to answering them they were busy causing chaos. 'I can answer people! Just take turns and let me think!' I was saying. I have a feeling teachers will understand this feeling best of all. I am a homeschool mother who works at home! If I don't have a chance to speak, or think, or answer rightly each child or other family member or the phone then chaos seems to ensue. There were some verses that came to mind while my head begn to swirl and anxiety increased. They were the ones about God meeting with us in secret, and being our refuge in times of trouble. Also this picture came to mind. There was a tree by river of fresh water. That image on so many complex levels speaks to my spirit. The verse I could really put into action that came into mind though was proverbs 19:2 which says he who hastens with his feet sins. The ampliphied version states it this way:  'To be overhasty is to sin and miss the mark.' I had to slow way down. Other verses began coming to me. 'Be slow to speak,' 'God is slow to wrath and abounds in mercy.'   I went on to explain that each person needed to wait their turn and just stop where they are and what they are doing until I had heard it all and considered what each person was saying. In my time of trouble I was able to find God my refuge in that secret place even though initially I was obviously agitated. I was encouraged by God in that place where the tree is fed by the constant flow of water to take care of the situation by remembering to rest in Him. To slow down. To take care of things first things first.

God speaks. God works in us. God lovingly reminds us. His Holy Spirit is within us touching our lives and affecting those around us with miracles no matter how badly we believe we have not been a good example. God always finds a way even when we are in the wilderness because He is the Living water. His purpose is to bring abundant life into us just as water quenches the thirst of all things that grow on this earth.