Surface Moisture

Light and moisture are among the most important agents in promoting both animal and vegetable life, so the Scriptures make use of these figures in illustrating the conditions necessary for a thrifty spiritual life. Thus salvation itself is frequently expressed by the term “water of life.” God’s people are said to drink water from the wells of salvation.

One whom God constantly sustains and supplies with spiritual food is compared to a “tree planted by the rivers of water.” When David felt a great need of the help and blessing of God, and was most earnestly seeking these priceless treasures, he represented himself as being very thirsty: “My soul thirsteth for God.” “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God” (Psalm 42:1). Another time he complained that his moisture was “turned into the drought of summer” (Psalm 32:4). The figures of water and moisture are also commonly used to designate thrifty conditions in other respects.

Those who engage in the business of agriculture, gardening, and so forth, have constant occasion to note how apt and forcible these illustrations are. How vigorous and thrifty the plant appears which has had a sufficient supply of moisture, compared with the one which has lacked this valuable aid! Nevertheless, the gardener also observes that plants which have been accustomed to an undue amount of artificial watering appear very flourishing as long as this supply is kept up; but if it is withheld, even for a short time, the plant quickly withers and dies much sooner than those which have had far less surface moisture, and more soil cultivation. The gardener wisely concludes that the overwatered plant, finding an abundance of moisture near the surface, has not been impelled to send its roots deep into the earth to get the moisture by natural means. It depended entirely upon the artificial supply; and when that was withheld, having no connection with deeper sources, of course it must quickly wither, whereas the plant which has had more judicious management has sent its roots deep into the soil, and draws its life-sustaining moisture from the provision there made for it; hence it could much better sustain the loss of the surface supply.

What a lesson there is here for us! What danger we are in of constantly looking for the approval of others in all our efforts to do right, and if we receive this, of coming to depend upon it to sustain and encourage us, instead of seeking a deep experience for ourselves, and drawing our support and daily spiritual food from God and His word! This course is well illustrated by the plant which depended only on the shallow means of sustenance the surface treatment provided, and neglected to send its roots deep down where the steady, constant supply could be reached.

Then let us dig deep, and become “rooted and grounded" in Christ; then, although we will have due regard for the opinions and counsels of those whose position or sound judgment entitle them to such respect, we will nevertheless be enabled to stand firmly for right principles, regardless of either praise or censure, if we may but know that our feet rest upon the word of God. David says: “All my springs are in thee” (Psalm 87:7); and when we can truthfully say that all our strength comes from God, all our incentives to rightdoing from the divine Source, then indeed the words of Hosea regarding Israel will be true of us: “He shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon” (14:5).