Refresh!

What comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘refresh’? Don’t think about pressing a button on your electronic device. Think life. Does a cool breeze on a hot summer day refresh you? Sipping a glass of ice-cold lemonade under a porch fan? How about a dip in the pool after yard work in the sun?

When I hear the word ‘refresh,’ I think of a place called Ein Gedi. During our church’s visit to Israel in the summer of 2023, we traveled through parts of the Judean wilderness. As temperatures reached one hundred, the sun beat down relentlessly. But in the midst of the wilderness, we arrived at the oasis of Ein Gedi, now part of the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve.

Though surrounded by harsh desert terrain, the oasis’ freshwater springs sustain green foliage and several species of wildlife. We snapped photos of ibex grazing on green grass underneath tall palm trees. One of the paths we walked led us to a beautiful waterfall. The water cascaded over rocks into a shallow pool, creating a cool mist in the desert heat. Ahhh, refreshment with a capital R!

The Bible mentions Ein Gedi as one of the places David hid when King Saul and his army sought to kill him (1 Samuel 24). In the treacherous environment of the desert, the oasis would have been a refuge and source of refreshment for David. But as restorative as that spot would have been, it could only have provided temporary relief. In the desperation of David’s plight, he needed something deeper.

The same is true in our lives. When we’re faced with gut-wrenching decisions or exhausting circumstances, we cry out for more than a cool breeze or a glass of lemonade. We crave lasting refreshment that reaches all the way into our souls. David expresses the same desire in Psalm 63:1: “Oh God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (NASB)

As much as he longed for physical refreshment, David knew God alone could meet the desires of his soul. And God is faithful. David goes on to proclaim in Psalm 63:3,5: “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You … My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.” (NASB)

God was faithful to David, and He will be faithful to you. When you find yourself navigating the rocky terrain of life, lean into His promise: “For I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes.” (Jeremiah 31:25 NASB)

Let God refresh your soul.

Now it’s your turn! How has God refreshed you in times of need? Please leave your comments in the box below.