Oasis

Recently, I was in a conversation with one of my daughters about Psalm 1 - where it talks about the person who delights in God's Word and meditates on it. "He will be like a tree planted by a stream of water." We talked a little about how a tree next to the stream draws life and nutrients from the water through its root system. Then we went on to talk about how even in the desert, with no observable water source, there can be underground springs that provide life to an oasis. There might be barren desert for miles around, but in the midst of it, you could find a big, beautiful tree full of life and health and beauty.

The dictionary defines oasis like this:

1. A fertile or green spot in a desert or wasteland, made so by the presence of water.
2. A situation or place preserved from surrounding unpleasantness; a refuge: an oasis of serenity amid chaos.


Reflecting on our conversation, I began thinking about living in Southern California. Sometimes it can be discouraging to live in an area that's not green and lush, not "middle America" where people look and think like us, where it's crowded and expensive. And I was reminded that even in the middle of this "desert," God provides us a hidden spring of water that nourishes us and makes us productive and prosperous. We don't have to wither away and shrivel up because we're planted in the desert.

Upon further reflection, I was realizing that as grateful to God as I am for His being an oasis to me, I cannot end there. He is calling me to be an oasis for others - for my husband and children, to my friends, neighbors, people I meet during the course of my daily activities. It changes the way I go about my day, and it helps me to be mindful and careful about how my speech can affect others.

Am I a dry, sandy and barren desert or a refuge, an oasis of serenity amid chaos to others ?