Ezekiel Chapter 47. The River of Life!
I love this chapter.
In Ezekiel's vision, he is shown a river that flows from under the temple all the way to the Dead Sea. Wherever this river flows there is life. Even as it enters the Dead Sea, life is brought there and people are catching fish from there. There are trees blossoming all around the river and producing fruit every month.
The Bible talks a lot about running water and how God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are all associated with it. This running water, just like in Ezekiel, refers to life. Where there is running water, there is life. This could not be even more truer when it comes to our relationship with the Lord.
John 37b-39a says, “Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, Rivers of Living Water will flow from within them.' By this Jesus meant the Holy Spirit, for those who believe in him and would later receive.”
This is an exciting passage!! In Ezekiel, the river produces life. It produces fruit for food to everyone. I hope you understand, as believers in Christ, we have the Holy Spirit within us which is like a river of life. It gives us life and then as the Holy Spirit flows in and through us and on to other people, then other lives get to experience the life of Jesus through us. Wherever we go, fruit from the Lord will become evident.
I've seen it over and over again. When I walk into a place of spiritual darkness and death, and begin to love people and encourage people, darkness begins to leave. The River of Life begins to flow amongst the people and you see hearts change, attitudes change, and hope begins to exist into the hearts of others.
Let's let the River of Life, the Holy spirit, flow in our lives and change us and then flow through our lives (no matter where we go) so that whoever we come in contact with, then feels loved, feels valuable, feels the Joy of the Lord, feels encouraged, and feels a sense of Hope for Life. And ultimately, we hope to see them receive Christ into their own lives so they can receive the same River of Life that changes them and impacts others.
Let us not stop the flow of the river in our lives.
CHALLENGE:
Wherever you go today, let the River of Life flow through you and on to others. Love them and encourage them.
Perhaps you're thinking, before I can do that I need to let the Holy Spirit change my life first!
He can and will do it!!!