you thirsty?

it's pouring outside as i write, the precip trying to decide whether it wants to be snow or rain.  i think the rain is winning, and i'm watching an eavestrough overflow, like a mini waterfalls.  there's something mesmerizing about falling water.  perhaps it's the power of nature.  perhaps it's the sound of gentleness.  perhaps it's the cleansing property.  perhaps it's simply our basic inner need for water.

"as the deer pants for water, so my soul longs after You, O Lord." (ps.42:1)

a couple of years ago, we visited fraser island off the coast of australia.  it's the world's largest sand island, about 22 km at it's width and 123 km in it's length.  tall rainforests grow there on sand dunes at elevations over 200m.  about 45 minutes into our 4wheel drive bus tour, (what an adventure that was!) we came upon an isaiah 35 crystal-clear view:

"...water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert, 

the burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs...

...the redeemed will walk there, and those the LORD has rescued will return,
they will enter Zion with singing, and everlasting joy will crown their heads..."

all this talk of flow and streams and rivers reminds me of a song by darrell evans:

"let the poor man say ~ i am rich in Him,
 let the lost man say ~ i am found in Him

let the blind man say ~ i can see again,
let the dead man say ~ i am born again

let the river flow, let the river flow,
Holy Spirit come, move in power, let the river flow."

so next time you're drinking water, or showering, or hot-tubbing, or even enjoying one of those automated car washes, think of how amazing that clear liquid really is.  what a valuable resource it is!  physically and spiritually.  and thank the one who said, "I am the living water."  He promised we'd never thirst again.

thanks for letting me "go with the flow."  :)