I stood gazing at the river. Deep and silently it flowed, but it was alive and purposeful; no murky depths of stagnation here. Fish jumped for flies, trees caressed the water with low flung branches; their roots going deep into the river bank and Kingfishers sat expectantly, waiting for prey. If I were to jump in I would be carried away by the sheer power of it. I wondered at its volume.
Intrigued, I walked upstream and heard the sound of gushing water arguing it’s way over the rocks. A small island divided the river at this point but there was an urgency to rejoin again into the silent flow; pushed by the constant supply of water from above; a never ending stream of life where all things living can thrive.
I must be where the river flows.
I shall step into the river!
What the Scriptures say…
Ezekiel 47:7-9, “I was surprised by the sight of many trees growing on both sides of the river. Then he said to me, “This river flows east through the desert into the valley of the Dead Sea. The waters of this stream will make the salty waters of the Dead Sea fresh and pure. There will be swarms of living things wherever the water of this river flows. Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will become fresh. Life will flourish wherever this water flows.
Fruit trees of all kinds will grow along both sides of the river. The leaves of these trees will never turn brown and fall, and there will always be fruit on their branches. There will be a new crop every month, for they are watered by the river flowing from the Temple. The fruit will be for food and the leaves for healing.”
This painting was inspired by my meditations on this theme – the river of life.
A challenge…
Are we watered constantly from the river of life flowing from the temple of the true and living God?
It occurred to me that, had I flung myself into the river, I would have been completely swept away; total abandonment to God!
References:
John 7:37-39 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.
Isaiah 41:17-20 “When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the Lord, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them. I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground. I will plant trees in the barren desert— cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine. I am doing this so all who see this miracle will understand what it means— that it is the Lord who has done this, the Holy One of Israel who created it.
Revelation 22:1-2 Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.