Thought of the Day February 6, 2019 Plunge into the water with abandon
The central
image of our reading from Ezekiel 47 is water. Water flows out from the Temple and brings abundant
life with it.
Ezekiel’s river
runs through the Arabah, the desert running from the Sea of Galilee down the
west bank of the Jordan to the Dead Sea. Not only does the river turn this
desert alive with fruit trees which bear new fruit on a monthly basis, but it
turns the deadest place on earth, the Dead Sea, into a virtual Garden of Eden
with fresh water and an abundance of fish. Ezekiel even pictures fisherman
flocking to the formerly-Dead Sea to haul in a catch (47:10).
The river in Ezekiel’s
vision flowed from the Temple. The Temple is the dwelling place of God in the
Holy of Holies. The water of the river carries the gift of life to the trees
and plants along its bank. But there is another symbol involved. Ezekiel was told to first step into the
water, then wade into it and finally plunge into it to get the full benefit of
the power and gift of the water which can carry us in the journey of life.
Too many of us are
satisfied only to step into the water, not willing to go deeper for a variety
of reasons. One being fear of giving up control. Others are willing to wade
further into the waters of the river as long as we can feel the security of the
bottom of the river bed. We are still in control. But to wade out above our
heads and to allow the current to carry us seems scary. Where will it take me?
Until we plunge into the water in an abandoned way we will never experience the
freedom of totally trusting in the Lord. (To be continued)
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