Divining for Water

 

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Proverbs 20:5 Good News Translation

5 A person's thoughts are like water in a deep well, but someone with insight can draw them out.

 

Dad was president of Solusi College, Rhodesia. The college had a huge problem—lack of water. In that semi-arid land, there was little water to be had. He persuaded the government to send out two experts who suggested that he drill wells in two likely spots at the government’s expense. They found some water but only a pittance for what a college needs. Later Dad got Melvin Sparrow, Sr. to come out to divine for water. He used a forked stick and had the reputation of being able to find water with the stick. The government said they could drill where Sparrow said, and they would pay the expense—if he got more water than they had with their experts. So, Dad drilled where Sparrow said, and they got three times as much water as the previous two wells. The government paid, but it was still only a pittance.

Sometime later Melvin and his wife and their teenage daughter Elaine came out to the college for a visit. Elaine was attractive and very blonde. I was nineteen and very happy to chat with her. In our conversation she admitted that she could divine for water like her dad, however, neither of her two brothers could do it.

Highly skeptical, Ï told her that I didn’t believe that it really worked. I pointed out physics reasons why it couldn’t work. She listened. She had heard this scientific approach before. She stuck to her guns.

We got a forked stick from a nearby tree, and she asked me where the water pipe was that came into the house. She walked across it, and the point of the stick pointed directly at the pipe and continued to point at it whenever she walked over it. Then I took the stick and walked where she had walked. The stick didn’t move at all! I knew it wouldn’t—after all science had no physical laws that would make it do so.

She suggested that she put her hands on mine while I did the same thing. I took the stick, and she laid her hands on the top of my hands. I couldn’t help but enjoy her touch. They were not even close to touching the stick.

Then we walked towards where I knew the water pipe was buried. I was absolutely determined that the stick would not move. It was a macho thing, almost like I was defending my manhood. I clutched the stick with all my strength. As we walked over the pipe, the stick twisted in my hands, almost tearing the skin off the inside of my hands. It continued to point towards the buried water pipe. She removed her hands, and the stick didn’t move no matter where I walked.

I became a believer that she had that power even though I knew of no explanation for the phenomenon. To this day, I have met no one who had any credible explanation. I have met many people who look at me askance and question my sanity when I mention it. I just remember that stick rotating of its own accord in my grip. Was it a dark force? Who knows! Was it a miracle of God? I highly doubt it!

Dear reader, what kind of phenomenon would cause you to believe that Jesus is Almighty God and that He will save you? Think seriously about it. There is no scientific explanation. If you ask for that, you won’t get it.

Thank You, Lord, that You are not willing that any should perish but that all should be saved.

 

 

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https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/pri_60726738.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0px,0px,2500px,1313px&resize=1200,630

The Gethsemane Battle

 

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1 John 4:9

Good News Translation

⁹ And God showed his love for us by sending his only Son into the world, so that we might have life through him.

 

After many years, last night I again read the chapter in The Desire of Ages entitled “Gethsemane”. In eloquent and deeply emotional prose, Ellen White describes how Christ wrestled with God. He knew that He had come to earth for exactly one purpose—to save the world and its inhabitants from sin. I have seen many definitions of sin: some glorify it, some condemn it, some try to lay out boundaries for it. But in the end, sin is only one thing—rebellion against God. Sin declares puny man’s attempt to deny his Creator and become independent from the only Source of Life.

In the Garden of Gethsemane Christ’s divine nature headed steadfastly forward to the only possible act of redemption for rebellious man. Christ’s human nature, however, sensed the presence of every sin in the world. It felt the eternal separation from God, the terror and despair of inevitable annihilation, the horror of the wrath of God. It buckled and crumbled under this huge weight. His human nature pled with God to find another way of salvation. “If it be possible, let this cup pass from Me!” a cry wrenched from His very heart. Then in total submission to the divine within Him, He gave way to divinity: “Never the less, not My will but Thine be done!” Three times he sought reprieve but then acquiesced to His great love for sinners.

To His human view, (that was all that He could see at this point in the struggle), all mankind had turned their backs on Him. Even His chosen disciples had fallen asleep when He asked them to pray for Him. His chosen race, His favored people were bent on His destruction. Why? He had taught them, healed them, encouraged them, blessed their children, even fed them and raised their dead. He had expressed His love to them in every action. Was this why they turned away?

Of course not! When sin comes in touch with purity, divinity, perfection, it has but one response—rebellion. This rebellion was the only thing Christ sensed. Fortunately for us, His vast, unending love drove Him on to yield to the divine will and rescue His creatures in spite of their absolute rejection of Him.

When it became completely obvious that Christ was going through literal hell for us, the mightiest angel in Heaven materialized at His side, driving away all the demons that were clustered around Him and crushing out His very life. The angel strengthened Him for this, the greatest battle of the universe.

Thank You, Jesus, for fighting the battle for me, the battle that I had no hope of winning without You. I love You.

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[1] https://www.deseret.com/2019/6/12/20675446/taylor-halverson-why-did-jesus-suffer-in-an-olive-garden-called-gethsemane#olive-trees-in-the-gethsemane-garden-at-the-foot-of-the-mount-of-olives-in-jerusalem

 

Prayer

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Matthew 14:23

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

²³ Then he went up on a mountain where he could be alone and pray. Later that evening, he was still there.

Thousands of people had the personal commitment to follow Jesus way out into the mountains at considerable discomfort to themselves. They hadn’t planned to stay very long, so most of them had not brought even a small lunch. They thrilled to Jesus’ love and oration and witnessed miraculous healings. Finally their human weakness overcame them: they were tired and hungry. Once they started talking about it, their hunger dominated every thought and feeling. Here were 5,000 men who were extremely hungry. Very likely there were at least 5,000 women present, too.

Several times when we worked in Africa, we stopped way out in the bush and broke out a picnic lunch in what appeared to be a totally deserted spot. Within a very few minutes we would have 20 or 30 children appear, as if spontaneously generated, and stand around watching us eat. After a little more time a few adults would appear and silently observe. If things were like that in Jesus’ day, (and I have no doubt but what they were), there must have been well over 20,000 kids in the crowd, curiosity written in every face, eagerly commenting to their friends about what they were seeing or hearing.

Jesus had everyone sit down in groups of fifty to a hundred. He took five buns and two fish, blessed them, started breaking them, and passed them to his disciples. They in turn probably walked to one of the people in each group of fifty, broke the bread and fish, and gave them to that one person. He or she had then repeated Jesus’ actions and personally experienced the same miracle of multiplying the food. Every single person eventually participated in this astounding miracle, each sharing with the next.

A ground swell of enthusiasm and support erupted in their dinner conversations. People cheered in support of this mighty miracle worker who had not only fed them but also made them miracle workers. It was obvious that Jesus must be made their leader, their commander, their king. Jesus disciples could not but have shared the common determination to elevate him to king.

Satan must have presented to Jesus how he could use this mighty miracle to not only become their king but also accomplish his self assigned mission of saving the human race. Jesus could rally an unbeatable army, capture Rome, and then the entire world. His human heart must have glowed with deep satisfaction that he had had such marvelous success in helping so many people. Surely this must be the way to finish his work and achieve his ultimate goal.

But there were red flags going off in his mind. They signaled, perhaps weakly but persistently, that this would not accomplish his genuine goal. Using his irresistible divine power that had so excited the people, Jesus now ordered them to leave. With extreme reluctance they all finally left. He stood alone.

His humanity was exhausted by the effort and cried for rest. Resolutely Jesus turned and went deeper into the mountains. Mustering his failing energies, he prayed to God. He sought wisdom and power to pursue his mission to save mankind by the only absolutely effective way—to die for them. This urgent prayer and communion took all evening and well into the night. Eventually, under divinely renewed power, Jesus strode forth, even across the storm enraged lake, to his destiny.  

Almighty, loving God, help me to so commune with You.

[1] https://thebarkingfox.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/bfb140303-feeding-the-five-thousand.jpg