Eastertide
April 29, 2016

Scripture Reading: Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there anymore. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign for ever and ever. —Revelation 22:1-5

Rivers run into larger bodies of water. Unless blocked in some way by natural or human made obstacles, they work relentlessly to reach their appointed destination. It is these sorts of things in nature that make me see the hand of a higher power in earth’s creation. Rivers are diverted at times and some bodies of water are dammed for use in providing water for communities, providing electricity, and providing recreation sites. Rivers seem to have minds of their own for when rocks fall from mountains and block the river’s path, the river carves out another way to fulfill their purpose.

What is our purpose? How committed are we to fulfilling that which God has called us to do and be? It is so easy to get distracted from today. Sometimes I think I hunt for something to distract me from doing a task, I do not particularly enjoy. Our service to God needs to be as steady and persistent as rivers flowing to the sea. It needs to become so natural we do not know how to act another way. It may take a whole lifetime to reach that point but it is well worth the effort.

A River in Judea

Oftentimes I dream of music,
Of the river that freely flows.
And it sings a song sweeter than honey,
One everybody knows.
Late at night, I hear it singing.
Then again when I wake at dawn.
And it fills me up with hope and goodwill,
The will to go on,
Go on.

(Chorus)

There is a river in Judea
That I heard of long ago.
And it’s a singing, ringing river
That my soul cries out
To know.*

Prayer: Lord, clear our paths so we might flow more readily to you. Amen.

*First verse and chorus of River in Judea, by Linda Marcus & Jack Feldman/arr. Leavitt – Shawnee Press see at http://www.allthelyrics.com/lyrics/feldman_jack/river_in_judea-lyrics-906906.html#ixzz46xeLf8f7

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.