Stepping Deeper
Very close to where I live is an area called the Drim. It's an old river ford, and in my childhood many hours were spent playing in the river and picking blackberries on the bank. Now there is a bridge that allows for a dry crossing, but of course as children we always used the river. It was a wonderful wet playground. The water bubbled over the shallow rocky river bed and the still, deeper pools along the willow-shaded bank hid a fish or two. In summers we paddled ankle deep and in winter we wellied ankle deep, but whatever the season the result was the same – we got wet. How wet we got depended on how deep we went (or indeed if we fell over!).
The prophet Ezekiel had a vision of a river. We are given a vivid picture of its journey in Ezekiel 47:1-12. Its source was the very heart or presence of God; the river wasn't tributary fed, yet it grew as it flowed, and as it grew life was enabled to flourish on its banks and in the dead places into which it flowed. The deeper Ezekiel waded - to his ankles, knees and out of his depth, the more he had to trust, but also the more life was enabled. It is in the deep pools where we have to swim, where we cannot sustain ourselves but can only trust God to sustain us, that life in all its fullness lies.
I still go to the Drim, I'm too big to swim out of my depth in the pools now but I go there to pray, its peace and beauty calms my soul and focus my mind on the creator of all. Sometimes though I take my son who does exactly the same as we used to do – gets wet.
Father God, thank you that You call us to step into the river with You. Take us deeper Lord and saturate us with Your love.
Sally Williams | |
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