BY TRUSIE ROCKS
Just as a good water supply is essential every city, the Living Water is the lifeline of the saints and the sanctuary. Through the church (the city of God) flows a constant stream-reviving, reinvigorating. It is the river that Isaiah speaks of: “Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters” (Isaiah 55: 1). It is of this river that our Savior spoke in John 7:37: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.” The river is God Himself overflowing into the soul.
When Ezekiel was given a vision of a river that issued out from the sanctuary, he was brought through the waters: “the waters were to the knees” (Ezekiel 47:4). This was only the beginning. The next measurement raised the waters to the loins. Finally, the water were measured in the vision “and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that I could not be passed over” (Ezekiel 47:5). The Hebrew word that is translated “river” here is expressive of a stream that has force in it. It is not the sluggish river that will flow along in any old rut or depression. It is a river that will drive itself through the heart of a mountain rather than fail to reach its destination.
A river is flowing deeply now as it was on the Day of Pentecost. We must avail ourselves of its present blessings and benefits. There is no hope of cleansing in the river of sin that runs through this world.
Cleansing and salvation must come through a higher source.
The universe could not live without water. In order to be alive and well spiritually, we must bathe continually in the river of God. Along its shores, the plants and trees grow in radiant beauty. The lives of
consecrated men, women and children are, as the psalmist wrote, as trees planted by the rivers of water, that bring forth their fruit in due season, for they drink from the flow of this river.
We who believe on Jesus as the Scriptures teach are recipients of the promised “rivers of living water.” The river came and brought to us life eternal. We cannot keep this marvelous experience to ourselves. As a child of God submerges himself in intercessory prayer, he is confident that God can and will meet not only his own needs but also the needs of others. He envisions 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).
A few years ago, I was standing with MY grandchildren at the water’s edge. Suddenly, it happened before our very eyes-an enormous school of large bass appeared! An equally numerous group of shiners filled the
area. Very soon we realized that the big fish had not “just happened” by but they were pursuing and devouring bait.
The Lord Himself has provided the bait-the gospel. As His followers, we have accepted the plan of salvation. We are to use this plan to win others so that they, too, may know the joy of the infilling of the Holy Spirit and new life in Him.
The Lord gave His disciples some directions as to where to catch fish, and they brought in a great draught. Then He speaks of their new work as a continuation of their former calling, except that it would not
concern fish, but people: “I will make you fishers of men … from henceforth thou shalt catch men.”
May we have the magnificent obsession of Ezekiel’s vision. He portrays a vivid picture of clear, refreshing waters flowing from the sanctuary–God was there. Today, let not the heathen say, “Where is their God?”
He is with us. We shall not be moved. God will help us, and that right early.
0 come to these waters there is a vast supply-there is a river that never shall run dry!”
Sister Rooks is a former Ladies Auxiliary president of the Florida District; the author of several songs used with our Mothers memorial slogans; and a contributing artist of the Ladies Auxiliary International Cookbook.
THE ABOVE MATERIAL WAS PUBLISHED BY REFLECTIONS, NOVEMBER-DECEMBER, 1996, PAGE 10. THIS MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED AND MAY BE USED FOR STUDY & RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY.
