Achsah. Springs of water in the desert.

As the book of Judges begins, I began to highlight pink a challenge that Caleb gave. Caleb proclaims that whoever attacks and captures the city of Debir and it's inhabitants will win the prize of marriage to his daughter Achsah. Othniel, Caleb's younger brother accepts the challenge and wins. Caleb then gives Achsah to Othniel as his wife. 

But the story doesn't end there. Knowing she was going to be living in the Negev (the desert region), she urges her new husband to ask her father, Caleb, for a field. She then decides to do it herself and asks her father for a blessing...a particular blessing. She asks for springs of water! So, Caleb gives his daughter two springs of water. 

This simple little story jumped out at me. Here was a beloved daughter. She knew the days ahead would be tough as she would be living in the desert. She had initiative! She goes right to her father and simply asks for the one thing that anyone would want if they knew they were going to be spending time in the desert. Water! She simply asks for water. And her father grants her request. 

How can we apply this little story to our own lives? What can we learn from this story? Achsah obviously had a healthy relationship with her father. She obviously must have been close to him to ask such a big request. She probably talked with her father daily and her father knew her heart and she knew his. Achsah had foresight. She could see the hard times coming her way. She knew what she would need and prepared accordingly by asking for the one thing that would sustain her life and her families life during their time in the desert. She also knew who she could ask who could supply her need. 

As Christians, we go through times in our lives that very much feel like we are in the desert. Times are tough. We don't seem to be able to keep up with the demands placed on our shoulders. We are weary. We need to do as Achsah and go to our heavenly father and ask Him for water! Ask Him to give us what we need to get through. That water can be anything....strength, humility, endurance, or even something more tangible like a need supplied or a friend who brightens our day! But we need to go to the One who we know has the power to supply our need! When we know we are entering a time in the desert let's have the initiative to ask for the water that we need before hand to help us thrive even in the midst of a desert! 

So, if you are in the desert or you know you will soon be entering the desert, ask your Father now to supply that "water" that you need to thrive! 

This is such a simple story and one that I easily could have missed....but one that my heart needed to grasp today!