Bring Them to the Water

The Prophet Ezekiel paints a beautiful picture of the stream running out of the temple and flowing into the land. Bring them to the water...

• How can we use that water?

• Do we want to stay in the shallow end just to our ankles or knees?

• Do we want to take a plunge and come up refreshed in God's flowing stream?

• Where are you in that water?

It just makes me want to go outside and jump in God's river of mercy.

• Where is the water of God's life touching you today?

• Are there tears of repentance, grief, rejoicing?

• Are we going to flow with it or fight our way out and miss the opportunity to give a drink to others who thirst?

Perhaps God is inviting us to be scrubbed clean and renewed by the scriptures. Picture yourself being soaked in soothing waters, letting the moisture sink into your parched soul, and just knowing that God is within arm's length to help you out if you feel you've gone in too far. It also speaks of how we are immersed in the water of baptism. We should think about it next time we're in church, pause for a moment, and reflect on your thirst for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit. Think of what it means and think of Ezekiel's stream as it grows deeper and stronger and more life-giving.

I thirst for You. Let the water of your new life flow into me. Let Your love flow out through me to help renew the world and to bring others to you. Let Your mercy flood my spirit. Let the water of baptism never go dry in my heart. Deeper still, I come.

Let all who thirst, let them come to the water….bring the ones who are heavily laden, let them come to the Lord, without money, without strife, why they should pay the price, except for the Lord. Bring the ones who are lost, bring them all to the water, bring the children, and bring them all, easy the load and light.

Let us never forget to give a drink of water to each other in God's love and peace, as we bring the message of love and forgiveness to each other and to those He blesses us with.