..streams..

tonight @ church we read through and learned through Ezekiel 47. The chapter is entitled "Water from the Temple" 
If you read along, you see that Ezekiel is given a vision for what will come to pass {{a promise}}. And as this vision is being communicated water is rising for Ezekiel. Water is flowing from the Temple {{from the throne of God, the Right-Hand seat of Jesus}}, and as time moves on the water goes from being ankle deep to knee deep to waist deep. The water from the Throne of God is rising. The Scriptures don't read as if Ezekiel is worried about this....but I am not sure I would be ready for this drastic change of scenery. 

"Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side.Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep." Ezekiel 47:2-4

I picture whitewater rafting last week....The closer we got to getting into the river and the raft [[the vision coming to fruition of what we were going to do]], the more my heart raced. I saw the rapids, I saw the dam that the water flowed over, I felt the water spray...The risk was becoming more real and the plunge-moment was imminent...

the fear didn't go away. the anxiousness didn't cease, but the faith that i could participate increased. and i got in. was it smooth sailing? not so much, i was the recipient of incredible loads of water in my eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. i bounced into the raft on more than one occasion. and just the other day i noticed two massive bruises on my legs. 

perhaps our walks with Jesus are like this. we receive the invitation of his life through ours. we get ankle deep in the water and then soon realize we're up to our waists. and then we get jostled around during the journey. risk increases. 

are you asking: is it worth it? 

whitewater rafting was. i got to spend time with incredible individuals that i love laughing with, and i was able to behold the glory of god's creation.

life with jesus is worth any moment of angst or plunge. he was all in that Friday of Calvary, so i want to be all in. 

am i sure that i am ready to take some risks? no, i am not sure. i sense that some risks are coming that i have not yet experienced: relational risks, comfort risks, vision risks...

but if Jesus is my life, then i can be all in with his strength, while also accepting his invitation to trust him and enjoy!

Galatians 2:20

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Psalm 87:7

   “All my fountains are in you.”


John 4:13-14

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

John 7:38-39 

"Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”