Proverbs: The Wisdom of God's WordSample

Cold Water to a Weary Soul

Like cold water to a weary soul
is good news from a distant land. — Proverbs 25:25

Whenever I travel outside of Israel, the first question I always get from people I meet is, “How are things in Israel?” Now, of course today, everyone can read the headlines from anywhere in the world for themselves at any time. The friends and supporters of Israel who ask this question are not simply asking me for information. They want to connect, to feel a part of both the struggles and the triumphs taking place in God’s Promised Land.

The truth is that with everything going on all over the world these past few years, I sometimes feel like asking these friends, “Why are you asking about Israel? Don’t you have enough problems going on right here for you to worry about?” But I already know the answer.

Concern for Israel is not just about headlines or news. The story of Israel is the story of biblical prophecy unfolding before our eyes. News from Israel is always more than news. Hearing the latest updates about the ingathering of the exiles of Israel or about our struggles for peace remind us that God is still in control and that His plans are coming to fruition.

Proverbs teaches us, “Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.” Weariness in the Bible is usually associated with a weakening of faith and courage. Amalek attacked the children of Israel when they were “weary and worn out” (Deuteronomy 25:18). That war was won by the children of Israel turning to God as Moses held his arms to heaven.

We get weary when the problems of the moment seem too overwhelming. It becomes easy to forget the big picture. We often lose sight of how God is at work in the darkest of times. For example, amidst the war in Ukraine, The Fellowship has helped thousands of Jews leave these areas of conflict to come home to Israel.

News from Israel refreshes our faith, “like cold water to a weary soul.” The miraculous story of Israel reminds us that, no matter how long it takes, God keeps His promises. With all the turmoil in the world, the Jewish people are coming home. Israel is getting stronger by the day. There is “good news from a distant land.”