Now that we’ve completely established my love for water, I’d like to talk a little about why that is. I love the sound of moving water - like the line from “The Sound of Music” - “. . . to laugh like a brook as it trips and falls over stones on its way.” The sight of water (lakes, ponds, streams, oceans) brings almost a childlike delight. Perhaps that’s because I grew up in Wyoming where water is so valuable - states routinely fight over how much water is allowed out of the various reservoirs all along the major rivers. (Did you know that the mighty Colorado River, which roars at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, has so much water taken from it that it trickles into the sand about a 100 miles from the Pacific Ocean and never reaches the coast?) I like drinking water - in fact, the sweetest water in the whole world is found in the Sandhills of Western Nebraska. And if you’re laughing at me calling the water sweet, then you’ve never experienced really good water. In 2002, when I took the boys out to visit my grandmother, I carefully guarded one thermos of water all the way back to St. Louis, so Ron could experience Sandhill water again. There’s nothing like it - absolutely nothing!! And I like how water feels!! Ron will tell you that, when the boys were little, I would routinely climb into the wading pool with them and didn’t mind too much that they splashed - although I’m not telling them that!! (Maybe I shouldn’t be telling any of you!) And I love the smell of rain!
Although we’ve covered the senses of experiencing water, I feel that the root of my love for water goes a whole lot deeper! I think it touches on the spiritual aspect. I think it has to do with the water which will make the desert bloom. (Isaiah 35:6) I think it has to do with the River of Life, which flows out from the New Jerusalem, between the trees whose leaves are for the healing of the nations (Revelation 22). I think it has to do with Jesus Christ, who is the Living Water and that anyone who drinks from Him will never thirst again! (John 4) And as I love all of the experiences of water, I love the experiences of Jesus: I love hearing about Him, talking with God in prayers, reading His word. I love seeing Jesus in the creation around me, in His people, in the actions which are godly. I love tasting and seeing that He is good. His mercy endureth forever!!! I love feeling the comfort of Jesus, the many promises He bestows - like He’ll never give us more than we can bear, that He will never leave us or forsake us. I love the fragrance of Jesus, the sweet smelling savor of the sacrifice of the saints - the many times that people have helped me because they love Jesus.
Nevertheless, I must confess to you that the one aspect of water that I do not like is the rain leaking into my home. And I suspect that as a maturing Christian, there are aspects of my life where I have not completely subjected my life to the will of the Father and of Jesus Christ. While I am not comparing completely surrendering to Jesus Christ to an annoying leak, I am aware of the resistance within the old man against everything Christ, just as I resist the invasion of unwelcome water. I struggle to give a problem to God - and leave it there. I take it back and fret and stew. I struggle with being completely at peace no matter what happens.
Nevertheless, just like memories of water permeate my past, I want Jesus Christ to permeate my past, present and future - all of my life. I want, so to speak, a River to run through it.