Hearing the Word iii
Ezekiel 47:1-9 (CEV)
The Stream Flowing from the Temple
47 The man took me back to the temple, where I saw a stream flowing from under the entrance. It began in the south part of the temple, where it ran past the altar and continued east through the courtyard.
2 We walked out of the temple area through the north gate and went around to the east gate. I saw the small stream of water flowing east from the south side of the gate.
3 The man walked east, then took out his measuring stick and measured five hundred sixty yards downstream. He told me to wade through the stream there, and the water came up to my ankles. 4 Then he measured another five hundred sixty yards downstream, and told me to wade through it there. The water came up to my knees. Another five hundred sixty yards downstream the water came up to my waist. 5 Another five hundred sixty yards downstream, the stream had become a river that could be crossed only by swimming. 6 The man said, “Ezekiel, son of man, pay attention to what you’ve seen.”
We walked to the riverbank, 7 where I saw dozens of trees on each side. 8 The man said:
This water flows eastward to the Jordan River valley and empties into the Dead Sea, where it turns the salt water into fresh water. 9 Wherever this water flows, there will be all kinds of animals and fish, because it will bring life and fresh water to the Dead Sea.
Flowing water,
cleansing,
fresh,
reviving.
Wading in the water,
catching my breath,
holding on in its force.
Will it take me with it?
Do I want it to?
Will I go with the flow,
swim against the tide,
or paddle in the shallow?
This water
feeds,
brings life,
removed impurities,
brings life
to a place of death
and desolation
Wherever this water flows
there is life.
Lord,
let it be here,
let it be now.
In places of dryness,
of suffocation,
of life struggling to be,
flow now,
bring life,
bring freshness.
Flow through me,
I pray,
and may I never forget,
never try to hold it back,
never stop refreshing
and growing
in its flow.
(both the flowing stream and the pics are from Padley Gorge on Sunday)
Pam's Perambulation 
words fail me… thank you. Thank you Pam. Thank you God.
Amen
(to the Thank you God bit!)
I know you well enough now to assume that, Pam… 😀
however, thank you too for your openness to Him and your faithfulness! 🙂
Thanks, its amazing how this reading came up after being in this wonderful place on Sunday. I knew I had to take pics and record the stream – I didn’t realise I’d be using them so soon 🙂
and although I should have twigged, I was taken by surprise again this morning, after reading and responding to your blog (with copious tears, I might add, whilst listening to the song at the end), when i got to Mass and lo and behold – the same reading! (not guaranteed as we follow the old Roman Missal readings). Such a powerful image of God’s awesome superabundant provision… then, now and in the future. and growing and deepening…
I think this might be another case of God using His megaphone… 😀