In May 2018, after a prolonged drought, nearly 200 Wild Horses were found dead, stuck in the mud near a dried-up watering hole in Cameron, Arizona. Currently going through another dry spell, we are essentially looking at an ongoing drought spanning over the past two decades producing devastating wild fires and progressively sinking water tables.

Water means life and not just in a desert environment. The human body will die of dehydration much quicker than of starvation. A human being can go without food for about three weeks at a time but would typically only last three to four days without water. In his book Prophet Joel thanks the Lord for the autumn and spring rains. He celebrates the water of life coming from our Creator. We too need to remember and not take things for granted.

The earth belongs to the Lord and the more we understand that, the better we will fare. When God gave us this world to inhabit He entrusted the earth into our care, however we were never meant to do this on our own. Managing the earth without involving the Lord, we have not treated this planet kindly and have not used its resources wisely; as a result the world climate is changing and the global community must bear the consequences with melting polar ice caps, accelerated sea level rise, intense tropical storms and prolonged heat waves.

Apart from the Lord we won’t be able to take good care of this planet and neither will we take good care of ourselves. Our soul runs dry without prayer. We need the Lord. His inspiration makes us come alive. A life without God is one ongoing desert. This is why believers pray for the precious rain of God’s Spirit. With Prophet Joel they ask for rain, beautiful rain, both for the dry land and for the dry soil of the human heart.