I had never witnessed a body of water raging like this one; I was drawn to it.
Thompson River is the most remote of several rivers crossing from North Carolina into South Carolina and flowing into Lake Jocassee, dropping 1750 feet in just over four miles.
Car sized boulders line the river, and the raging water is so deafening you can hardly hear another person talk or an animal walk. While the river appears out of control, it isn’t. Steep embankments, uprooted trees and rocks cage it in.
When life seemed out of control, David says his great Shepherd led him to green pastures and still waters. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters (Psalm 23:2 KJV). He could have taken him to the opposite but this would only have intensified his pain.
Raging waters parrot an out of control life while quiet waters mirror contentment and peace regardless of our circumstances. I’ve slept by raging waters-Thompson River included, but I’ve never slept peacefully by them. The noise-along with wondering what I’m not hearing that might be dangerous, keeps me awake, but peaceful streams lull me into a childlike sleep.
God’s Spirit will take us to peaceful streams when life seems out of control. He invites us to eat from green meadows that give spiritual, emotional and physical strength-meadows entered through prayer and quiet meditation on his Word. Then he tells us to drink from the peaceful stream of contentment.
Believing he guides and controls our circumstances-regardless of how it appears, takes us to the soul refreshing waters of peaceful streams while trying to handle life on our own only leads to inaccessible raging rivers. Which are you drinking from?
Prayer: Savior God, when life appears out of control, take us to the quiet streams.
This is beautiful... Psalm 23 is a firm favourite of mine and I love what you have shared.
ReplyDelete