The Heart of the River
- Christen Moore
- Oct 12, 2022
- 5 min read
The River: We are like the water always running: as we flow through life .. as the water flows downstream.. sometimes we are thrusts over rocky river beds and our placid waters become raging rapids.. all of the muck from the bottom of our hearts comes bubbling up and is thrashed to and fro.. and as it passes over the rocks and into calmer streams what’s left of the once flooding torrents subsides to tiny bubbles that eventually trickle away and return to gently flowing currents lazily making their way through the maze of life.. eventually called to the sea.
Let the rapids purify our hearts so we may shine like glass like the smooth glistening river as it runs gracefully down steam and into deeper waters. So too, let us grow deeper in our faith.
The water is never deterred or afraid of the hard ground it may travel.. in fact, its persistent ever-flowing strength will reshape those hardened stones until they have submitted to a smooth surface.. now Beautifully blended into a seamless route .. quite easy for the water to maneuver… it is a slow, steady, and patient endeavor the River is committed to until she reaches her final destination where she joins the greater seas.
Let our hearts be like the River: powerfully persistent, patient and persevering, purified by pain, and always called to something greater than ourselves.
Like the water, we are reflective by our very nature, because we are a reflection of our creator. Designed to be a companion for all of eternity, moving and ever-changing yet always mirroring what God has put of Himself into us.
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Jesus described himself as giving “ living water” that would never leave Us thirsty. This living water is the embodiment of the Holy Spirit.
John 7:37-38 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.
God controls all things… he moves the water at his will... we, like the water, are at his command… we can trust his design.. his plan… to move us…
Throughout the Bible, we see God's demonstration of authority over everything including miraculously commanding bodies of water to move beyond our human understanding. How much more can he do with us when we submit ourselves to his will?
Genesis 1:6-7 And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.”7 So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so
As we grow deeper in our relationship with him.. so will our waters run deep and where there is deep water we will find stillness … it is only shallow water that is unable to withstand The turbulence over the rocks.
We are then designed to be like this living water always moving and pouring out life into this world and the people in it.
The Holy Spirit is passionately persistent, patiently preserving.. and calls us to bring the lost home.
Devotional study
How can we pursue a deeper relationship that will guide us to patience, perseverance, and the great calling in this life?
1)Passionately Persistent:
As we move through life it is easy to become exhausted and overwhelmed by the everyday trials we face. To be sure, satan means to wear us down. To survive the torrents of trouble that are sure to come our way it will take a passion and a zeal to not survive but to thrive. We must pursue with zest and determination the way that God has pursued us.
God pursued has been pursuing us since the beginning. Story after story through the Bible we see Him calling us to restoration over and over again.
How are we to "reflect" this Love?
Practical tips
— Embrace Change .. we are cyclical beings in a cyclical world. We were not meant to stay the same and neither is anything around us. It is a part of God's beautiful, wonderful design. God demonstrates the cyclical nature of life in every aspect. Learn some tips here.
—-Find Your Thorns .. Know your weaknesses and prepare ahead of time if you can. Sometimes this takes getting help from family, friends or even therapists. Not only is it difficult to understand yourself in the dark corners of your heart, but often, it's hard to admit that we are not as strong as we thought we were. However, you endeavor to seek them out, and when you do you will find yourself better prepared for the next moment a trigger comes along. For more information click here
2)Passionately Persevering:
Jesus persevered through many trials and temptations both with grace and endurance. While we can not expect ourselves to measure up to the fullness of God... we can set our focus in His direction.
How are we to "reflect" this Perseverance
Practical tips
— “Let us hold on firmly to the hope we profess because we can trust God to keep his promise.” (Hebrews 10:23, hold firm to Jesus
Awesome Article Here
3) Remember Your Calling
The Greatest Calling we have in life is to restore people to an intimate relationship with God.
Mark 16:15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.1How we are to mimic that. No matter what else we are doing or what our gifts and talents are.. this is the ultimate privilege and responsibility. When we are lost in the twists and turns in the rapids, we can return to this most foundational understanding.
Practical tips
—- The most profound thing you can do to bring people into a relationship with Jesus is to simply be the best "hands and feet" of Christ you can be. Simply put.. just live out your life in a way that says. " I love you Lord.. and I love your people". This kind of light will shine even in the darkest corners. It is inescapable! People will watch you, so be sure you are living a loving life. Live to Love the Lord.
— Reach Out: Remember as you reach out to others to share your faith its about conversation, not confrontation: You won't bring anyone to the table of Christ by shaming or condemning them. Talk to them about things the know and love in a way that invites them to hear about what you know and love. Remember people have to "know you care before they care what you know" When you are able to: Share your testimony , it is often the most broken pieces of our stories that will inevitably bring the most beauty into someone else's life. If you need more encouragemnt about being broken and beautiful here is another article I wrote recently. “ Called to be a Cracked pot”
Frazzled Prayer for My Frazzled Friends:
Lord Jesus, you know the hearts and minds of each one of these special ladies today. I pray God that you would pour fresh water into their lives and refresh their spirits with a new anointing. Lord, that you would help us all to find deeper waters where we can swim in the depths of your love freely and bring a few friends with us along the way.
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