The Waters Edge

“During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God and God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel- and God knew” Exodus 2:23-25

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-the LIFE was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal Life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us…” 1 John 1&2

“What am I here for?”, “Why do You keep me enslaved to these thoughts?”, “Where are You taking me Father?”

These questions once again provoke the ever constant wrestling match between my mind and my spirit. Desperate for resolution, I make my way towards a desolate place near the water in hopes that I might find His voice there… the Voice that always tends to ignore my questions yet never ceases to answer my soul. I make my way to the waters edge as my tears betray me and I finally surrender my own frustration to Him. Experience has taught me that this is what He wants. His weightless beauty invades my soul as I press all my “self” out to make room for Him. With eyes closed and heart hungry I wait for His voice to invade me. Suddenly the rushing waters take on new depth as our sacred exchange finds me. “What do you seek to hear My child?” , “Father, I am lost again and I want someone to show me The Way.” “My child, why do you continue to seek The Living among the dead?” “Look back my beloved, what do you remember about Me?” My body trembles with my own sudden awareness that I am naked before Him, no longer able to hide the shame of my own unbelief. “ Father, I remember that You told me everything I ever did.” “I remember how the weight lifted, the thirst dissipated…how like a butterfly newly emerged from her cocoon, I left my shame and fear next to my water jar and flew away with You.”

“Beloved, look around you, what do you see?” Heavenly hands cup my chin as my eyes fall on the water. As if the water itself is speaking, uncovering for me the glories hidden from human discernment, I am suddenly aware of my hearts ability to “see”.

“I see Christ My LORD, My Wellspring of Life, alive and beautiful, with no beginning nor end.” “I see The Tree My King, planted by rivers of living water…reaching out over the water, declaring Your canopy of love.” “The water is moving, it is brimming with life…the constant flow clearing the debris so that what was once hidden can now be revealed.” An invisible Hand takes mine and I am led away to another body of water..this one much smaller, the water is stagnant and murky…there is no movement or life in it. It’s very existence seems in constant threat as the Sun’s angry rays scorch it’s dry and depleting banks.

“Father, that body of water is me…my King…how small and desolate I become when I allow my current of “self” to move me away from Your grace filled waters.” My eyes now fall on my feet as Christ unveils a new realization to my soul. “Child, what do you know?”

I close my eyes and try to grasp heavenly words to describe a “knowing” that can never be explained with skin on. The rocks beneath my feet cry out with an unmistakable calling and I am washed anew with awareness of my own journey. My journey is not one of words or thoughts….nor is it one of works or knowledge. It is a journey of choice. I stand with solid Rock beneath my feet and two bodies of water on either side. One body leads to birth, life, abundance and eternal reward….the other leads back to Egypt…to slavery, death, isolation and confinement. Love paid a price for each step that I take…it is up to me to discern the direction.

My eyes set on My Christ, My Living Water once more just in time to see the gleaming, silver, twisting body a bass jumping in the weightless joy of His waters. “I love it here!” is what he seemed to be calling out to me.

“Beloved Jesus…I agree, I love it here too.”