A River Runs Through It
Life. We live well and work hard, all of us bearing scars.
In a way, the things that crush us are the things that smooth our sharp hearts. What hurts us the most is the very thing that God wants to use the most. . . as a ministry, as a testimony. The thing that causes death actually makes us more alive.
God uses it, and He uses us to give life in the same area where it was taken away.
Through the death of King Jesus, many find life like they've never known, including me.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble. . . we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us" 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4, 8-10
All of it brings to mind a poem that I wrote several months ago, inspired by the movie A River Runs Through It. You see, this life on earth is a lot like a river—in the way it moves so fast, in the way it harbors joy yet causes pain, in the way life is born into it and life is taken from it. The Bible talks about a River too, except this one is a little different.
"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. . . No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever." Revelation 22:1-5
This River is one of only life, no death or suffering or pain. Praise God for that.
In this, I've had to shift my perspective. . . to not only allow God to bring life from the death experienced on earth, but to look forward to the eternal life to come.
