The Touch of Life

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We left Ezekiel following the angel into the deep waters of the River of Life that flowed out of the Temple. In the deep water, he would have been carried along by the current wherever the river went. The angel asks Ezekiel a question.

He said, “Son of man, have you had a good look?

Had the prophet seen what happened the further in and deeper he went into the River of Life? Had Ezekiel already seen what was there to be seen so far?    “Cause hang on, Zeke. You ain’t seen nuthin’ yet.”

Then he took me back to the riverbank. While sitting on the bank, I noticed a lot of trees on both sides of the river.

He told me, “This water flows east, descends to the Arabah and then into the sea, the sea of stagnant waters. When it empties into those waters, the sea will become fresh. Wherever the river flows, life will flourish—great schools of fish—because the river is turning the salt sea into fresh water. Where the river flows, life abounds. Fishermen will stand shoulder to shoulder along the shore from En-gedi all the way north to En-eglaim, casting their nets. The sea will teem with fish of all kinds, like the fish of the Great Mediterranean. (Ezekiel 47:7-10 The Message)

Abundant Life

The angel led Ezekiel back to the river bank where he could actually stop long enough to look around him. What did the prophet see?

He looked at the river banks. He saw LIFE. Abundant life. Trees flourished wherever he looked. Everything was green and fresh.

He looked at the river itself. He saw LIFE. Abundant life. Fish flourished. Not just a few, but in huge numbers. So many fish that the fishermen were able to work shoulder to shoulder and everyone could catch enough. No shortages where the river flowed.

I find this particular bit of the passage especially interesting.

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“This water flows east, descends to the Arabah and then into the sea, the sea of stagnant waters. When it empties into those waters, the sea will become fresh.”

How many of us feel like sometimes we are living in a sea of stagnant water? I’m sure we all have felt like that at some point in time. Perhaps some of us have been existing in those stagnant waters  for quite some time.

The thing I find exciting is that when God’s River of Life touches those stagnant waters, it brings freshness. It brings life. Not just a little life. Abundant life. Life without limit. Life that you could never imagine when in the stagnant water.

Where the river flows, life abounds.

When Life's Not Abundant
Now here’s the thing. God’s River of Life is there and available for all who believe in Him and are trusting in Him. Maybe you don’t feel like you are living in that fresh, abundant place at this point in your life. Why might that be?

I can think of at least two reasons.

1. When we are not experiencing a feeling of abundant life, maybe we are holding a part of ourselves back and not allowing God to touch it.

“No God. That’s mine. I don’t want you to mess with this particular thing in my life. You can touch and bless everything else, but please…just leave this alone.”

2. The second reason…Well, we will look at the second reason in the next post. Just a bit of a clue here. It may not have anything at all to do with us doing something wrong. (Just in case you are thinking I am trying to lay a guilt trip on my readers.)

Time for Reflection

• For now, why not take some time to thank God for ways He is bringing abundant life to you.

• Ask Him to touch areas of your life that are stagnant with His River of Life.

• If there is some area of your life that you have been holing back from Him, why not open that area up to His River of Life today?