The River

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2

I was watching the river from far above it. Below me snaked that dark mass with its whirlpools and churning waters and currents, but off to the side, attached but separate, was a lagoon. Here the water was calm and peaceful. Dotting the surface were all manner of geese, some fishing for dinner and others merely floating atop those still, safe waters.

And the Lord then spoke to me in the still, small voice of knowing in which He so often reveals Himself.

“It is all right to duck into the place of safe waters. It is okay to stay there and rest and be calm, but only for a time. Then you must go back to the flowing river. To those dangerous rolling and twisting waters. It may not be easy, but it will be better.”

Following Jesus is not a safe or comfortable journey by most standards, but the center of the Lord’s will is the safest place a follower of Christ can be. Very often, the center of the Lord’s will is smack dab in the middle of the river, where questioning, inner turmoil, pain and struggle lie. The center of the river is where we must rely completely on the strength of Jesus to sustain us; the breath of God to fill us; and the Holy Spirit to calm our fears. It is where boldness and endurance, from Him and not of ourselves, is displayed. The river is for personal growth, so that the power of God might be displayed in our lives. His glory is always better than our comfort.

There is something in the human spirit that blossoms under adversity. When we come to the end of ourselves in the realization that we cannot navigate the river on our own, we turn to Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith who, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross.

Lord, thank You for times of rest and peace. Would I never remain comfortable and stagnant, but continually press on towards Jesus and go boldly forth into those things God has called me to. God, would You carry me through and sustain me in the midst of the river? Thank You for continually leading Your children on to holiness.