Chile’s Atacama desert is the driest place on Earth. It only receives about 1/2” of rainfall all year and usually in their spring from September- November. This blossoming doesn’t happen often; seeds and bulbs can lie dormant for decades in the sand. Last week, almost overnight, the Atacama sand dunes became blanketed by white and purple flowers after early rains caused blossoming in the dead of the arid Southern Hemisphere winter.
Isaiah 35:1-2
The scene is such a beautiful picture of hope and new life. It reminds me of God’s promise through the prophet Isaiah.
The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, Even with joy and singing (Isaiah 35:1-2).
Spiritually, we surely live in ‘a dry and weary land where there is no water’ (Psalm 63:1). Since our ancestors were banished from the Garden of Eden, life has been full of thorns, death and decay. Even now we groan with all creation for the revelation of God’s glory and the transformation that will bring (Romans 8:23). What began in a garden defiled will culminate in a garden-city recreated (Revelation 22:1-2). After Isaiah 34, a chapter full of God’s judgement, wrath and retribution, it’s a joyful relief to read about the destiny of the redeemed, dwelling securely with God in the beauty of holiness. It’s also a sobering challenge to live as those who belong there, displaying fruitful lives filled with the living water of Christ- lives that cause others to think and ask questions.
Fog Catching
If the Atacama is the driest desert on Earth, it is also the foggiest! This coastal desert has a sea breeze that blows inland creating areas where fog condenses against mountain slopes, producing oases where plants and animals can survive. Now with new technology there are projects across the desert – large mesh screens erected to catch and turn fog into fresh water for drinking and irrigation purposes.
Church, the community of God’s people, should be like a spiritual fog catcher. Anxieties, fears, disappointments and sadnesses can make it hard to see clearly. What an encouragement to encounter the sunlight of Christ’s presence through a word spoken, a warm embrace or a kind deed that captures the fog. The desert places in our lives can become fruitful oases as we drink again from Christ’s life giving stream.
Then there are our neighbours, colleagues and friends who don’t know Jesus. Many are biblically illiterate and have foggy thinking about Christianity. We need to be willing to ask questions to discover their worldview and its common objections, so we can contextualise our message while keeping faithful to the core. Sometimes we’ll have answers, but often there’s a painful experience at root and asking deeper questions brings closeness and an openness to prayer. We won’t always have answers but sometimes I think to retreat into, ‘It’s a mystery’ can be a lazy option. There are some great apologists to learn from John Lennox, William Lane Craig and the late Tim Keller are but a few who have put thought into these issues for western culture today.
Dormant Seeds
Take encouragement from the dry Atacama Desert. Seeds that have lain dormant for years only need a sprinkling of rain to pop up overnight. There is something going on among a number of well-known historians, influencers and former atheists that suggests a renewed interest in Christian spirituality happening in the West. Let’s be ready fog catchers to help seekers on their journey.
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