The next time you look at a river, you may want to contemplate the lessons found in today's edition of FaithWalk: Courage for the Journey.
The River of Faith
by Ron Susek
©Golden Quill Publications
The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
Proverbs 16:9
Rivers cannot choose their paths. It is the Creator's choice where mountains and valleys are placed to direct their flow. God empowered rivers to give life. To do so, however, they must continually flow despite obstacles that stand in their way. God enables them to either overpower blockages or flow around them as He determines their destinies.
What a grand picture of the life of faith. Hebrews 11:8 says, "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going." Such faith pleases God.
Do you still insist on seeing the end from the beginning before you will obey God? Are you still attempting to design your own course, hoping to arrive at your own desired destiny?
True faith does not think that way. Like a river, it flows in the course established by God. It does not jump out of its banks to seek its own course. It is not discouraged by mountains, assured that God will either overpower the hindrance or cut a path around it.
Like a river, faith gives life as it flows. Jesus said, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water'" (John 7:37-38).
Conversely, the person who bulks at obstacles and refuses to flow around mysterious bends becomes a stagnant eddy. That becomes a death pool.
On one occasion this happened to Abraham. His faith flowed like a river until he arrived at God's destination and found the land in drought. Abandoning faith, he rushed to Egypt and nearly lost his life and his wife.
It is encouraging to know that even Abraham briefly failed at faith. It may have been, however, the bitter results of this experience that kept his faith flowing when God commanded him to lay his son on the altar of sacrifice.
Of course there is one obvious difference between a natural river and your river of faith . . . choice! A river flows along its bed, guided by banks and pushed by gravity. You, however, can choose to jump the banks of divine guidance and cut your own course, but the end will always be a regretful destination.
In short, keep flowing in faith and let God determine your course. As rivers spill into the majestic ocean, so God has ordained a glorious destination for your faith. So, above all else, keep flowing!
Immanuel: God is with you!
Your friend,
Ron
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