There are many images associated with the Holy Spirit in the Bible… breath, wind, fire, dove, comforter, advocate, to name a few. And Jesus added one more: water. Earlier in his ministry, while at a festival in Jerusalem, he said (in John 7:37-39, the Gospel passage appointed for Sunday...),
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, `Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.'”
John goes on to explain, “Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”
In this image, the Spirit comes from inside the believer’s heart, not from the outside in. And the way the Spirit emanates is like rivers. I love this way to envision the Spirit’s activity in us, as a river of living, cleansing water flowing around us and through us, bringing renewal to the stagnant places, healing to the wounded places, dislodging and carrying away the debris of sin and hurt in us. Jesus said his Living Water would well up within us like a spring… this is how the Spirit lives in us.
When we pray for something, we can ask God to release the River of Life that’s already within us, and let it flow to wherever it is most needed, whether that is within us or beyond us. When we confess our sins or stuck areas, we are removing debris that keeps the river from flowing at full strength. When we dredge up old hurts and resentments and let them go, we’re clearing the river bank.
Allowing that Holy Spirit river to flow in us with less and less impediment is the goal of the spiritual life. The spiritual practices that nourish us help keep it flowing – prayer, scripture, worship, giving, hospitality, healing. When it flows easily in us, the gifts of the Spirit are abundant in us, and so we become a source of peace and strength for others.
Can you imagine that river flowing in you?
What does it look like? Feel like? Sound like?
Where does it get dammed or slowed? What’s in the way? Can you dislodge the obstacles? Ask God to?
What debris might be gathering at the banks that need to be dislodged and borne away?
And when do you feel the River flowing with the most power and exhilarating life?
Someone asked me this week if the people in my church were thirsty for God, thirsty for Jesus, thirsty for the Spirit. That is a question for them. I am thirsty for more of God. And I know that Jesus invited us to bring our thirst to him, and he would give us the water of life. That offer still stands.
The river is in us. Let if flow! Happy Pentecost!
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