Water in the Wilderness

“O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is” (Psalm 63:1).  “Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain… As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country” (Proverbs 25:14,25).  “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.  For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:20,21). 

There’s water in the wilderness

Which many still have never found. 
It comes from heaven as the rain
To satisfy the thirsty ground. 

We see the dryness of the sod

That waits for water all in vain, 
For those who boast (but not in God)
Are like the clouds that have no rain. 

Yet there is good news from afar

Which satisfies us to the full: 
We’re called to come just as we are,
And Christ will quench our thirsty soul! 

The thorny ground which God has cursed

Portrays the sinner’s helpless case.
There’s none to satisfy our thirst
Apart from Christ who saves by grace. 

As rain from heaven He came down;

He came to us by lowly birth,
Upon the cross He wore the crown
With thorns by which He cursed the earth. 

His foes rejoiced that He was dead,

But only for a little while;
He rose in three days, as He said,
And now He lives to reconcile!

There’s water in this barren land

Which God through Christ now freely pours!
The Lord now makes His children stand
In His stead as ambassadors! 

And thus we preach the joyful news

Of reconciliation in our day,   
So thirsty sinners yet may choose
To turn to Christ as yet they may. 

O Lord, it’s hard to take it in

That You gave us Your righteousness,
As on the cross You took our sin
To save us in this wilderness!

Lord, thank You for salvation’s well

Which satisfies our thirst by You,
Which saves us from eternal hell,
And sets us free by what is true.