There are times when human advice fails us. When sympathy runs dry. When even religious practices bring no comfort or help. Why does our gracious God permit this? Perhaps because we have been living too much without him. So he takes away everything we've been leaning on—that he may drive us to himself.

It is a blessed thing to live at the fountain head! While our skin-bottles are full, we are content, like Hagar and Ishmael, to go into the wilderness. But when those run dry? Nothing will serve us but "You are the God who sees me." We are like the prodigal—we love the swine-troughs and forget our Father's house.

Remember this: we can make swine-troughs and husks even out of the forms of religion. Church, prayer, Bible reading—they are blessed things! But put them in God's place, and they are of no value. Anything becomes an idol when it keeps us away from God. Even the brazen serpent that once saved Israel must be despised as "Nehushtan" when we worship it instead of God.

The prodigal was never safer than when he was driven to his father's bosom, because he could find sustenance nowhere else. Our Lord favors us with a famine in the land that it may make us seek after himself the more. The best position for a Christian is living wholly and directly on God's grace—still abiding where he stood at first: "Having nothing, and yet possessing all things."

Let us never for a moment think that our standing is in our sanctification, our mortification, our graces, or our feelings. Know this: because Christ offered a full atonement, therefore we are saved. We are complete in him! Having nothing of our own to trust to, but resting upon the merits of Jesus—his passion and holy life furnish us with the only sure ground of confidence.

Beloved, when we are brought to a thirsting condition, we are sure to turn to the fountain of life with eagerness.