Imagine this scene with me for a moment.
You’re floating on a beautiful, crystal blue river in a raft. You’re stretched out. Relaxed. Hands tucked in behind your head. You’re looking up at the cloudless expanse of an azure sky.
Question: Which way are you going? Forward or reverse?
This is not the river of life that rushes you along with the current, taking you to some unknown destination and sweeps you over the rocky edge to destruction.
No, this is The River of Life, “a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.” (Rev. 22:1 NLT) Those eternal waters of refreshing that take you where God wants you to go.
When we go with God’s flow, we find The River of Life flows so freely and we have a Helmsman to navigate for us. Though we encounter an occasional storm or billowing wave, the Helmsman guides us when we cannot see a way. He steers us away from crashing into the rocky shore. He anchors us when we feel as though we drowning.
However, if it seems so easy to go with the flow, why then do we insist on going in reverse and making it so hard for ourselves? The struggle mainly comes when we try to go against God’s flow.
Maybe we should pay attention to what God said to Jeremiah about the Israelites, “But they would not listen to and obey Me or bend their ear [to Me], but followed the counsels and the stubborn promptings of their own evil hearts and minds, and they turned their backs and went in reverse instead of forward.” (Jer. 7:24 Amp)
Reverse rides on the whispers and way of the world; forward flows with God’s commands and blessing of His kingdom.
May your heart and mind be willingly bent to follow the Lord’s every command. And may your River of Life be effortlessly navigated.
Question: Which way are you going? Forward or reverse?
Hooking up with…
LOVED this post Lynn! Loved how you said, “Reverse rides on the whispers and way of the world; forward flows with God’s commands and blessing of His kingdom.”
I’m choosing to float forward just as hard and fast as I can! 🙂
I soooooo want to be floating down the river on that raft!
Good to be reminded to relinquish control to God. My agenda’s will too often send me along an enticing by way which ends either in a dead end channel or worse, into the rocks. I think I will work harder at letting Him have the rudder.
Aww, thanks, Stephie! You’re always so gracious to me. Bless you!
LOL I know, Jan! I keep picturing it myself. Thanks so much for stopping by. I’m honored. Bless you!
Oh, I know the feeling, Ceci. Wouldn’t it be nice if, every time we tried to take over the rudder, we would get a shock? LOL We might learn. Might! Thanks so much for commenting.
Well, Lynn, now you’ve got me daydreaming about floating in a life raft in heaven. It’s a pretty wonderful feeling. Hopefully at this point, I’m going forward. Once I get to heaven I plan to spin in circles like the giant “scrambler” ride at the fair. Won’t it be awesome!?
Lots to think about in this one, Lynn. I often think we allow fear to trick us into thinking we can do something to control so we fight the current instead of letting it all go and go with Him. Fear and loss of control – powerful motivators…
LOL Love that thought, Carol: spinning around like a scrambler ride. Uhhh, on second thought, maybe not! Those things make me sick! Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings!
Oh, I so agree, Jean. We allow all kinds of things in our lives, especially fear, and we end up doing the backstroke! Thanks so much for visiting. I appreciate it! Blessings to you!
your beautiful posts speak to my heart. Thank you for your bloggy friendship and for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things hop xo
Thanks so much, sweet Katie-kins! You make my heart happy! Bless you!
May your heart and mind be willingly bent to follow the Lord’s every command. And may your River of Life be effortlessly navigated.
what a beautiful blessing, and write, friend. may God encourage you.
Emily, I’m so honored to have you visit. Thank you for your kind words. Blessings to you!