What is God up to?!
There are a couple of images in the bible of a river, flowing throughout the earth and bringing new life and healing wherever it flows. It seems that the water is there to heal, and bring a time of refreshing. It's an image that tells of what God is doing. It is an image that portrays a reality, albeit a spiritual one. It appears to represent those times when we have gone through darkness and suffering, a more difficult time when we question what is happening around us, when we may encounter a darkness, a struggle that we have not experienced before. We may have gone without the things we have needed, and not found the peace and rest that we so craved. There may have been ill health, poverty and struggle, where people have suffered, and seen things they should never have to have seen. There may have been no answer to our many questions.
When there has been drought, the seeds of new life remain in the soil, waiting for the refreshing water to spur on their growth. Rivers flowing through a dry land will naturally bring new life, plants will spring up within days, and animals will return. In these images that the bible describes, as the water flows, trees spring up and their leaves are used for healing.
This is a time when the fruit is not forbidden; this is the time when God moves throughout the land, the water of life cascading through our world, tumbling into the cracks and crevices that have opened up. It is God who sends that refreshing water in this context. As it flows, new life springs up; old wounds heal. This river springs straight from God, and it brings that longed-for peace and rest.
Many of us crave this peace, rest and healing. Many of us are desperate to sit at the feet of God and know for sure what God is, what God is like, and what life is all about. Yet for some the structures of religion hide God; we don't like what we see, and so we turn away. As we do, God watches, knowing that soon we will have the chance to see through the mists of religion, and into the very eyes of God. We will recognise what has obscured God, and we can discard it, and experience instead the reality that is the incredible, awesome and restoring power of God.
This is the time to see the big picture; time to see what God might be doing, and where that water is flowing. It is a time to lay aside our inhibitions, to run, and shout, and not give a thought to all the concerns about what we do or don't believe. We can sort those things out later. For now, just jump right in. Jump in, and wallow, swim, and writhe around with the intense pleasure of being in the midst of the awesome presence of God. Grab hold of the chance to dive straight into the depths of God. Reach up and grab those fruits and eat, drink, and feast. Don't hold back! This is a time to act, it's a time to seek and find God, and take whatever God has for us today.
Wherever you are, give God a second of your time, and leave yourself open to what God may do in your life. Picture that refreshing torrent of water washing over you, bringing peace, joy and healing to you tired body and soul. Tell God what you need if you wish, but know also that God already knows, and will bring you the strength you need.
Be restored xxx
