Pablo & Judi Kauffman

Our hike today started and ended in Durcal, a town about 20 kms. outside of Granada.

We were welcomed by this trumpeting burro,

Then hiked up to what looked like an unfinished picnic area.

Went back toward town,

Then crossed a gorge and up the other side. Southern Spain is very dry right now. The only reason the trees are green in the middle of the picture, is because they grow along the stream at the bottom of the gorge.

Water is a precious commodity here. This canal brings water from melting snow and ice on the mountains farther up, down to the olive groves and other crops below.

Without water, even the weeds dry up.

The almond trees in the forefront are non-irrigated, rendering them non-productive, as contrasted with the greener plantations in the lowlands which receive water. I’m reminded how Jesus said he was the living water. Without water, plants (and people) die. Without Jesus, there is spiritual death. Will Spain ever see an outpouring of the Living Water?

Just as natural water can produce hardy trees

And bountiful crops,

And tillable land, so the Living Water can bring about growth and abundance. But you have to stay down low, down by the river, near to the Water. Jesus said that the humble, the meek will inherit the earth. When you get up high and mighty, away from the Water, you dry out.

However, even a green tree, like this fig tree, needs to bear fruit. Jesus cursed a fig tree once that didn’t bear fruit.

The next day the disciples were amazed that the fig tree had dried up. It may have looked like this dead tree. I remember an old quartet song sung by the Radio Bible Class (?) that says. “Nothing but leaves for the Master / O how His loving heart bleeds / When instead of the fruit he is seeking / We offer Him nothing but leaves.

Well, if there is no fruit to offer the Master, may the leaves at least be pretty! (said tongue-in-cheek)