MERRY MONDAY BY PARRIS
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper
Ps. 1:3
This last week was a week of weeks. Rodney Howard Browne came to our church and held revival meetings. For four services I was caught up, renewed, refreshed, I laughed and wept under the presence of God. For many they will never be the same. This last month was rather unusual, our house was flooded in the great 100 year flood of Covington and that same day I realized I had shingles. OUCH! It was a one- two punch to say the least. A month later I have recovered from shingles (thank you Jesus) and our house lays gutted. So this week became my quest to seek Him in a fresh way. It was good for me to have time to “kiss the river again”. So many folks from our church had never been in these sort of meetings and it was so special to see them getting touched and changed. I felt his love and assurance service after service and His presence deepening. The river comes and takes things that are no longer needed and leaves a deposit or residue behind. In this case, the Holy Spirit comes and washes away the coating of the world and leaves an imprint of Him upon our soul. This song comes to mind after this week, We sang this song for many years in revival.
“And I remember sitting down beside the river
The water moving, heaving like a living breathing thing
Moving closer, I was strangely drawn and then I
Heard you call my name
And now I’m drowning, drowning in your life
Somehow I’m living, I’m living just to die
Just like the river, rolls into the sea
So I surrender to the sweetest love, rolling over me
It’s funny how the memory can fade, but then I’m
Still reminded, when I smell the rain and I feel
Moved to kneel and live it all again
AND I WILL TRY TO KISS THE RIVER”
Spurgeon says in speaking of the hunger of Christians; “They do not diminish in their delights, the river deepens as they wade into it. They are blessed when the first ray of heavenly light streams on their eye-balls, they are blessed when their eyes are opened wider still, to see more of the love of Christ, they are blessed the more their experience widens and their knowledge deepens, and their love increases. They are blessed in their hour of death, and best of all, their blessedness increases to eternal blessedness.”
So where do you find yourself today. I pray despite the storms you find yourselves in –you will keep wading out into the deep and Kiss the river.