Swept By The Current Of An Ever-Changing World… Hello weekend readers. I titled this devotion because I thought it was exactly what our nation and our world is going through. It’s more than an election we’ve just gone through; it is how we are out-of-sorts with what God wants us to be—a child of God who loves others and shares the Gospel. In musing on that sentence, I couldn’t help but think of rivers. I know in May I had a similar devotion, but this time the rhythm of a river kept speaking to me, so…!

When Al and I are out exploring, there seems to be no place where there isn’t a river running down from some mountain, lake, etc. How important are rivers for us? We benefit from them because they are the ecosystem services that impact our day-to-day lives. They provide drinking water, irrigation, transportation—yes, benefits beyond what we would imagine!

Here are some wise words from the National Wildlife Foundation: “If the Earth had no rivers, the planet would experience a catastrophic ecological collapse, with most life on Earth unable to survive due to the lack of readily accessible freshwater for drinking, irrigation, and sustaining ecosystems, leading to widespread plant and animal extinction, drastically altered weather patterns, and potentially uninhabitable conditions for humans. Without water, there is no life.”

Sitting on the edge of a river, enjoying a picnic is one of our favorites. Gurgling water has its own symphony and makes its own glorious song. I love the happy giggles of otters splashing, the bear wading in for salmon, and the osprey’s dare-devil dives for fish. And then, there’s the lazy rivers, flowing slowly with the sound of delicate trickles. Oh, the eye-candy of the river’s edge that are decorated with gorgeous flowers and trees. In fall, the leaves flitter on the river saying so long to warm weather. Seeing swans, herons and other waterfowl that are paddling along quietly in the river’s slow pace reminds me that I need to do that, too.

Who doesn’t like to put their fingers into the river to find out how cold it could be? As kids we always did that, hoping it was warm enough to take off our shoes and wade in. And when I put my hand into a flowing river I get an energy and deep joy of God’s creation.

Did you know that Leonardo da Vinci loved rivers? In searching for ideas on this devotion about rivers, I read that he was a lover of rivers and loved to paint rivers into his pictures. His words about rivers are: “When you put your hand in a flowing stream, you touch the last that has gone before and the first of what is still to come.”

Is that not profound? It reminds me that my “river of life” flows with the constant change of each day. This moment right now is just a tiny unit, and then the flow goes to another place. It’s like that tiny drop in the river or a small creek. It may be small but it can sweep me into the current of our ever-changing world. Darn it, the magic seems to end quickly!!

Maybe that is why Jesus shared the power of a river found in the Gospel of John 7:38 [NLT]. “Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from His heart.’” 

What happens when there is no water to drink? Not just the water we crave for our bodies, but the water of life from Jesus. We need the river that comes from the heart of our Savior. But in this ever-increasing current of our ever-changing world, our rivers run dry when we step into the rat-race of daily living. No wonder our hearts get tired, dry and sad. Instead of a vibrant life walking with Jesus, we are shriveling up in body, soul, mind and heart.

In closing, remember that our lives reflect Jesus. Without his flowing love like a river, our reflection is not going to help ourselves and those who need Jesus. So embrace the flow of Jesus’ river. Yes, its course and depth change constantly as we listen to Jesus, but because of Him—that river will NEVER run dry. AMEN.