Thirsty....Come to the river

The stream of God is full of water." psalm 65:9 Pretty simple, isn't it? With God, there is always a flowing river. God is a river of life. That's good news for a thirsty generation, yet sad for those who refuse to stop and wade.

My last journal entry was dated many months ago. honestly, the cause of my delay has been "dls." oh, you know of it, i think: dry land syndrome. you know, the long days. the empty days. the riverless days. dry land.
Several times I sat down to write but each word was like hard labor under a july sun. soon it became clear that whatever came forth would be true... but possibly not true in me. avoiding hypocrisy, the keys fell silent.
I didn't want to admit it, but ultimately there was no way around it. I am the fool who would not wade into the River of Life. oh, I'll go far and wide to talk about it, speak of it, preach on it, and proclaim it. but, we all know there is no life in ministry. the river of life is in God.

Somehow I became an expert on The River, yet wasn't standing in the flow.

A month ago, a college minister was sharing with me how my journal on the passion web site has impacted the students he leads. as he inquired about the possibility of a new edition, my heart sank.
Finally I confessed no new journal had come because my up was a little dry.
"write that," he said. "what a huge encouragement to know you struggle, too... that would be great!"
However, I wanted more than just the chance to be vulnerable. I wanted the fountain of life to spring forth in me. I longed to say with the psalmist, "all of my fountains of joy are in you." psalm 87:7.
"dls" remained.
what happened? a lot of things. it would be easy to play the martyr, talk about the sacrifice of the schedule... the demands of the mission. but, it's not really what did happen that is important, but what did not. I did not come to Jesus.
Come! talk about a potent word. this one's like plutonium. check out these words from the mouth of the River Himself, Jesus Christ.
"if anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink."
"I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst."
"come to Me all who are weary and weighted down, and I will give you rest."

The actual tense of the first verse says it all: if anyone is thirsty let him keep on coming to Me and let him keep on drinking of Me!

Figuring out how to experience abundance in Christ is not rocket science. it is as simple as manna. by design, God sent manna to his people in the desert. not beef jerky, a power bar, pop tarts, or some other food source that could easily be tucked away in the pocket of a robe, holding the bearer for days in the wilderness. manna is a daily thing.
Jesus is the manna of God... and yesterday's drink from the ever-flowing stream is never enough for today, certainly not for tomorrow.

Many of us proclaim Christ, yet live on fumes. how sad. we must ask ourselves, are we filled with the present life of the living Christ or sadly baptized with memories of what it was like to touch the hem of His clothes in days gone by? Jesus is alive! the river is flowing. the invitation is now. come! will you? will I?

A few weeks ago, all of atlanta watched as a radio promotion gone wrong finally came to an end. on march 11,24 lucky souls were chosen to board the "great american scream machine, "the baddest wooden roller coaster around, in an event sponsored by a local rock station, six flags, and the atlanta area jeep/eagle dealers. the deal? whoever stays on the longest wins a jeep wrangler!

Think you're ready? Here's the catch. you ride from 8 am to 1 am with a five-minute break every hour and a 45-minute break for lunch and dinner. (can you say throw up?) you sleep on the ride's platform and do it all over again the next day. your friends and family can visit, but Only on the weekends, and then they have to pay to get into the park!
when i became aware of the contest, three riders remained...in their 41st day. spring break? easter? family? jobs? life? for most of march and all of april, they rode. cold days. dark nights. sunshine.
Rain. Through it all they rode. for what? a $16,000 jeep wrangler.
on may 11, with the u.s. and world records long since shattered, the contest mercifully came to an end after 61 days. sixty-one days!!

Losing money daily and faced with razed contestants, the sponsors relented, offering all three remaining riders a jeep if they would just get off! fortunately for us all, they did.
my first thought was, "idiots." 12,456 rides,61 days. insane. no way I would pay that kind of price just for a jeep.

Then the question turned. would i pay that kind of price to know God? would i seek Him for just one day from 8 a.m. - 1 a.m.? would i forsake family, work, ministry, life, comfort, pleasures, or agenda to pursue the Living God? would i contest for the prize of Him?
upon closer examination, i was an idiot, too... willing to pay such a high price for the things of earth. not the wrangler, mind you. but i ride daily for prizes i'm too embarrassed to name. i have a thirsty soul and a huge appetite.

But "dls" has a cure. it�s called come. Christ paid severely that i might stand in the river of God today. the least i can do is whatever it takes to get there.
today i have renounced the river of ministry as a quencher for my soul and waded into the river of Jesus. it is impossible to go back to yesterday. i have no thoughts of tomorrow. but i�ve found manna outside my tent today and a river of life within. "as for me, the nearness of God is my good." psalm 73:28a.

[Father, I cry out for the waters that flow from Your throne... for the fresh flood of life across a
parched and weary soul. things are not enough. not for this soul made for You. Jesus, You are he manna of God. have mercy on me and give me a heart eager to come to You.] http://www.268generation.com/