In the morning dew...

Now may God give you of the dew of heaven, And of the fatness of the earth, And an abundance of grain and new wine;
~ Genesis 27:28

This morning I awoke to find that the air was still very thick with the sea fog that rolled in over us last night.  As I opened the door to let the dogs out, I was literally greeted by the moist air.  I walked onto the patio and then out to the garden where there are new leaves appearing each day on the plants we have placed.  

I remember as a kid, waiting for the dew to burn off before being able to go out and work in the garden or to fire up the mower to cut the lawn.  

This morning I thought I would do a search on the word "dew" in the Bible.  For an arid area where so much of the Bible was experienced and written, the word dew appears over thirty times and it is generally seen as a blessing.  I discovered a Jewish prayer entitled, "Tfilat Tal," which is a prayer that asks God to, "Bring a light out of the darkness to draw Israel closer to God, as a root finds water from dew."

I didn't realize my journey to the back patio was going to create this exegetical moment in my morning devotion.  For most of us, dew is simply, "dew."

I have to admit, I could sense it all around me this morning.  I live in an area that is often humid.  Even the meteorologist has a whole segment added to the weather on whether it is a "good hair day," or not, based on the moisture content in the air.

I stopped and stooped over to take a photo as part of my morning journey to find joy.  A practice I have been doing for nearly ten years now.  I then begin to think of the thousands of pictures I have taken, at last count, just over 100,000 since I have begun the discipline of taking pictures and relating them to my faith.  In many ways, the photos are the "dew" that surrounds my life, that is reflective of the faith I have encountered, and the journey that I have shared.  They are the "root," that finds the source of God in my life.

This morning I am reminded that dew simply exists because the conditions are just right for the droplets of water to form, and for them to cling to something.  We are invited each day to be conduits of faith.  The presence of God washes over us, and looks to find ways to remain present.  

This morning I'm struck to discover the words from Zechariah, "For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew."  (Zechariah 8:12)

I'm reminded that the dew that I am admiring this morning is from heaven.  It both nourishes and provides protection.  It is what each of us seek as we Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2019