“And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh.” (Ezekiel 47:9)
I can’t swim. There – I said it. Everyone I tell that to is shocked. I have jumped out of planes, I have been in combat, I have led troops into hot zones, I love to race cars, I ride a Harley – but I can’t swim. I’m scared to death of drowning. Isn’t that crazy? The one thing most people do for entertainment and relaxation I am afraid to do.
What does that have to do with our passage this morning? In this passage, Ezekiel is being given a vision concerning the healing of the nations. There is a river that flows from beneath the throne of God. We are told that river represents the Word of God, I have heard it represents the Spirit of God, the definitions and interpretations are many and varied. One thing always holds true however: wherever that river flows it brings healing and life. I want His healing. I want His life flowing through me. I think most of us do. The problem, at least for me, is that to have that flow in my life I have to give up control. I’m alright when the water is at my ankles. I ok when it reaches my knees. I’m still comfortable when it rises to the level of my loins (thighs). Oh, but when it gets above my waist I can feel my ability to maintain control slipping away. In the words of our friend William Shakespeare: “Aye, there’s the rub.”
Yet as we read this chapter leading up to this point, my heart yearns for that deliverance and that freedom. My spirit is BEGGING me to dive in completely, give up the struggle, and just go with the overwhelming flow of this river. Imagine, if you will, being able to swim freely in the life-giving river of God, to know that throbbing pulse of God’s Spirit surrounding you, enveloping you, carrying you in its powerful bosom. There have only been two times in my life I felt anything remotely close to what this must feel like. The first came when I jumped out of a perfectly good plane and went into freefall. You can bet I was scared totally senseless the first time, but then I learned to let go, trust the process, and enjoy the view. The only other time is when I’m in the saddle of my Harley. But both of these times are cheap imitations of what God wants for us. Jumping out of a plane, while very exhilerating, only lasts a few moments (in free fall). Riding a motorcycle, even though it can feel similar to free fall, still allows me to control it. My heart is crying out for full release of the wheel, to let God carry me where He wills.
We learn from an early age to take control of our surroundings. We control our parents by crying or throwing tantrums. We learn to control our teachers in school by either raising our hand or acting out. We learn to control our bosses by calling in sick or going on strike. We even have the mistaken illusion that we can control God by giving Him some money (tithing) or simply threatening to go back to our old lives. I think of the passage in Hebrews 11 where the Spirit writes that those who pleased God paid no attention to the country from which they came lest they had opportunity to return. They pleased God by going all in, withholding nothing. They had no Plan B. It was God or nothing. But here comes my childhood experiences flooding back to mind in order to protect me from abuse and helplessness.
What about you? Do you struggle with this the way I do? Maybe you came from a loving home where all you felt was love and support. If that’s the case, you may not have the same fears I have. Praise God! I WISH I had that feeling of self-assurance and confidence you must have, but alas, it is missing in my life. And I have to believe I am not alone in this. Don’t get me wrong – God has never let me down as far as I have let Him have control. In fact, I’ll even go so far as to say He has done far beyond anything I could have ever imagined in my life – and He holds out the promise to you and me that there is more – SO MUCH MORE! As Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:20, He is able to do “exceeding, abundantly more than I could ask or think.” I want that! But I’m afraid. Are you?
My prayer today is, “God of heaven and earth, I believe what you say. I believe you have an appointed time for me and an expected end. Help my unbelief.” Maybe that’s your prayer, too. If so, let’s take this journey together. Share with me your experiences as we walk the road to heaven together. That is why we need each other – for encouragement, for advice, for courage, and for shared joys. I pray you have an amazing day in God today, my friend.
Be blessed.
(01 OCT 2024)
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