Wednesday, October 24, 2007

• Streams of Water

  I was out hiking the other day.  It was a beautiful fall day, warmer than most, but a great day to see the colors and hear the crunch of leaves beneath my feet.  So, I skipped out on work early and wandered through the Cleveland metroparks. 

  Along the way, I found myself walking next to a small stream.  Apparently, the weather had been drier than normal, because it wasn't much of a stream anymore.  Instead it was more like a long skinny puddle, half covered in leaves, and as I looked at it, I thought it looked thirsty.  It looked like, if it didn't rain very soon, it would dry up completely, clog, wither, die.  The stream needed water, and I understood.

  See, I have been feeling a little dehydrated lately in my spiritual journey, like there's nothing to sustain it, like I am drying up and dying.  It has been difficult to find a time or place to recharge, to let God's Spirit soak into me like rain.  It is easy not to take that time, not to make it a priority in busy lives, and so I found myself resonating with the thirsty look of the sad little stream in the middle of the woods.

  But then I took a closer look at the stream, leaning over the railing of a little bridge to see.  It wasn't as stagnant as I thought.  In fact, if you looked closely, under the surface you could still see the rippling effect of the water flowing downstream.  To my surprise, it seemed to be moving at a good clip, the still leaves on top making it hard to see.  The water was also teeming with life, a fish, some water bugs.  There was life there after all!

  Jesus said "those who drink 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 4:14)

  Maybe then, this is the way of our faith when we feel dried up and empty, sluggish and stagnant.  Perhaps we are simply having trouble noticing the flow of the Spirit in our lives.  Jesus promises living water.  Water that flows always toward eternal life.  Even when we can't see or feel the movement, the Spirit continues to flow in us bringing life and hope and love. 

  Flow in me Lord, show me your movement.  Amen.

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