Drowning In a River of Life

The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the alter. He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around to the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.

As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle deep.

He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was up to the waist.

He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in - a river that no one could cross. He asked me, "Son of man, do you see this?" Then he led me back to the bank of the river.

When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river.

He said to me, "This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea.

When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows.

There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.

Fishermen will stand along the shore;

from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets.

The fish will be of many kinds - like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea.

But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh, they will be left for salt.

Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail.

Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them.

Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.

Ezekial 47:1-9

This beautiful Scripture has been on mind so much the last few months. I don't remember ever reading or hearing it before the pastor at my church preached a sermon on it late last year. But now that I'm aware of these words my mind goes back to them often. What a beautiful visual of God's love and care for us. He fills us with so much of Him - His Spirit, His love and His abundant provision. Every place in our lives that He touches, that we allow Him to touch, is awash in this healing stream. In turn we are so filled with it that it cannot help but overflow onto each person and situation around us, bringing His love, life and healing, so that in turn it may flow even further.

Ted Dekker, in The Circle series, writes of a drowning in this water, and in the drowning, finding life beyond imagination. I think it was one of the most vivid descriptions of the act of simple letting go and allowing God to surround us, fill us and totally overwhelm us with all that He is. I find myself both longing for and being afraid of this overwhelming overtaking. And I'm finding that the more I surrender the less afraid I am - less afraid of the surrender and less afraid of anything life can throw at me. I am finding there is no need for fear because this awesome river of life, this amazing perfect love drives washes away the fear and replaces it with confidence, peace and the knowledge that He is enough.