Streams in the Desert

The prophet Isaiah predicted a time when “in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.” (Is. 35:6)  This past week has been a time of wilderness ministry for me.

Gila Christian Ranch sits in the mountains just north of Silver City, New Mexico.  I was first asked to preach there when the scheduled evangelist had to cancel his teen week obligations due to his daughter’s wedding.  (Lots of unanswered questions come to my mind at this point, but I have deemed it best to leave them unanswered.)  I have ministered at the camp in some capacity every summer for the last three years.

Though the camp is technically not in the desert—its average rainfall of 25 inches a year more than doubles the desert threshold of 10—it is still wilderness, being bounded by state land and the Gila National Forest.  The camp has to generate all its own electricity, pump all its own water, dispose of all its own trash, raise its own beef, etc.  It is old school camp that puts campers into a rustic country setting in order to get them away from the world.

It is also old school in its spiritual emphasis.  Camp director Randy Rhodes loves God and loves the idea of the concentrated spiritual emphasis that camp provides.

This last week, the Lord did not send us any physical rain, a fact for which we are all grateful.  The miles of dirt road leading to camp are made nearly impassable by the rains.  God did, however, choose to bless us with spiritual blessing at camp. 

Campers were born again under the camp pavilion nearly 6,900 feet above sea level.  Others surrendered their lives to full time Christian service.  One boy had just seen his father taken off to prison.  He came to his counselor in tears, being convicted by God of his need to honor his parents, regardless of whether or not they were honorable people.

As I come down from the mountain to my other meetings, I find myself teary-eyed as I reflect on what He did this last week; and on the fact that He allowed me to have a small part in His sending streams in the desert.