Tonight’s sermon, continuing the ‘Wells of Salvation’ series, looked at Ezekiel 47:1-12, and the river of God. This river leads to abundant life, with plants, fruit and fish flourishing all year round (Ezek 47:9-10,12) and is a symbol of the abundant life Jesus promised us. (John 10:10) This abundant life is not about material possessions or temporal happiness, but is connected to God, the spring of all living water and originator of life (see also John 17:3). Abundant life is not found in pleasure or entertainment, in relationships or sex, in sport or other hobbies, but in God, who loves to give us good and perfect gifts. (Ps 84:11, Js 1:17)
In order to receive this abundant life, Ezekiel talks of water flowing from the temple of God (symbolising His presence.) The water is described initially as trickling, then as ankle-deep, knee-deep, waist-deep and finally too deep to walk through.
So often, we are like the toddler who enjoys paddling: we like getting our feet wet, but also like to retreat to the safety of the shore. At first, grace seems endlessly exciting and wonderful, but living by faith is a risky business and we are more familiar with doing things our own way. This is what happened to the Galatians. Paul says, ‘After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?’ (Gal 3:3)
While ever we are in water that is ankle-deep, knee-deep or waist-deep, we are in control, our feet still rooted on the ground. God wants us to plunge into the wild, wild river and learn to swim, learning to live by faith and not by sight. (2 Cor 5:7)
Learning to swim is not easy, for it involves a new way of movement, learning to trust the water and cooperate with it instead of resisting it and insisting on moving as we would on land. But if we want to move in spiritual realms and see the miraculous happen, we have to stop doing things our way and live in the Spirit, being people who have turned our backs on our own ways of doing things in order to embrace God’s (see Eph 4:22-24). There is so much more of God to discover and explore. Let’s learn to swim in His river and trust Him to lead us, guide us and direct us in the ways of the Bible, so we see the miraculous happen and experience the power of God in our everyday lives.