May 4, 2026 Devo

May 4th, 2026

Powerful Words from the Prophets
“I am the LORD, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea. I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned, their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick. But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. – Isaiah 43:16-19 (NLT)
“The River of Life”

Today’s verse is such an interesting contrast. In the first couple of verses, God talks about how He made a dry path through waters. In the last couple of verses, He talks about how He would make a waterway through the desert. He also talks about how the water of the Red Sea became a grave for the army of Egypt. But the waters in the dry wasteland would be waters of LIFE!
When I read this passage today, I thought of Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well in John 4. Remember the story? Jesus asks the woman for a drink of water, and that engages them in a religious conversation. Jesus seeks to reveal Himself to the woman by telling her that if she knew who He was, she would ask Him for a drink—and He would give her Living Water. After a confused response, Jesus says to her, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” (John 4:13-14) Eventually, the woman discovers that Jesus is the Real Water she’s looking for. Someone who can quench the thirst in our souls and bring life to our dry, dying hearts.
I offer this thought to those of you who may feel like you’ve been living in a barren wilderness. Like the woman at the well, you need more than just one more “quick fix.” You need LIFE. Jesus is who you are looking for. I offer this as well to those of you who are going through a dry season of life. If your walk has grown weary and your spirit is feeling empty, maybe what you need isn’t more ritual, routine, and religion. Maybe you need to reconnect with the Jesus that Isaiah prophesied about, The One who quenched the thirst of the woman at the well. Jesus didn’t give her more hoops to jump through or more rules to obey. He gave her a Savior to love and be loved by. Because He is the River of Life that we are all looking for. That’s God’s Word for you today.