Just add water.

Dry. Parched. Scratchy. Useless. Leave a sponge sitting out overnight, and when you come back to it in the morning, it's fairly useless. Dried out. Scratchy. It is actually so dry, it won't even wipe up the smalles amount of milk spilled on the counter. It's really useless. Believe me, I've tried. Groggy and bleary eyed waking up at 6:00 in the morning, spilling coffee. I grab the dry sponge and try to clean it up, and am almost irritated that it won't work. Ugh, I have to turn on the faucet and get it wet first. Then, TADDAA! Transformation. Get the sponge damp and suddenly its amazingly useful, cleaning up messes just like that!

Kind of like us. What? Are you scratching your head, thinking, "What IS Heather talking about this morning? She must not have had her coffee yet." Really, think about it, though. It struck me this morning as I read Psalm 119. It is a LONG pondering of thought from David about the regenerating, joy-filling, strength-giving power of God's Word, His commands. David is hiding out in the dessert, being pursued by his enemies. He's been lied about. He's been pursued. He's hungry. His life is in-danger, BIG time. And yet, he still writes this beautiful poetry about how much he loves God's commands, how he finds joy in following God's commands. "As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands." Psalm 119:143

David gets up early in the morning to ponder and think about God's commands. "I rise up early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope IN YOUR WORDS." Psalm 119: 147

He sets his mind on God's precepts throughout the day (Psalm 119:97).

He lays awake at night thinking about God's promise. (Psalm 119:148) Take note of that... David doesn't lay awake at night worrying about the hoard that is fine-coming the dessert searching for him, swords drawn and ready for action. He lays awake at night thinking about God's promise.

David is sustained by the powerful, saturating, life-giving words and commands of the sovereign Lord. Is he tired? You bet. He cries out for the blessing God has promised him. But David makes himself useful to God, a leader of the many people who are under his protection even as he hides in the dessert. How does he make himself ready and useful to God? By being saturated in God's word, in God's thought. He thinks on them. He ponders them and let's them transform his heart, his mind. David LOVES God's commands, His words, His laws, His thoughts. David is hungry for God. So, that's where his focus is. Without God, David would be dried up, useless (as we see later in his life when he stops focusing his heart and mind on God).

So, be like David. Don't be a dry, useless sponge sitting all crackled and scratchy on the messy counter of life. Ask God to give you a discerning mind, as David did (Psalm 119:169). As God to saturate you with HIS mind. Dive into His presence. Spend time in His Word. Spend time pondering His word. Set your heart on His word, His thoughts throughout your day. At night, don't let your troubles take over your mind. Rather, focus your thoughts on God's Word and His promises. Ask God to transform your heart and mind. And He will. It takes focus on your part. Rise early. Ponder at night. Ponder throughout the day. "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:2