THE RIVER FROM THE TEMPLE
EZEKIEL 47:1-12
This is one of my favourite readings, what a fantastic vision of the water flowing out from the very temple of God.
But this is highly symbolic in so many ways that you could do three or four different talks.
It is all about the Holy Spirit being poured out upon the earth and made available to all people.
Now Jesus does not make anyone accept Him but by the same token it is up to us how deeply we want to go into our walk with Him.
At first the water is only ankle deep but then this man leads Ezekiel out deeper and deeper until the water is so deep that he can swim in it.
People are at all different stages in their walk and some people are more comfortable with some things than others.
One thing that is a great development, is the way we as a Chapel have seen so much answered prayer lately, one set free from prison, another crossing the Mediterranean ocean safely in a raft and others healed. Another person with a lump that is not cancerous.
Prayer for healing is an area that we can develop that will hopefully be embraced by everyone.
As we move deeper into the Holy Spirit God reveals more to us, often I am sure you have heard that still small voice nudging you in a certain direction, that is one way God talks to us.
God also gives us gifts to use to further His work and Kingdom such as tongues, prophesy and words of knowledge.
But not everyone will be given these gifts and not everybody will want them and that is fine but sometimes we have to have the confidence to move out further into the water.
Jesus will be there holding our hand so there is no need to fear.
But the most important thing is that we demonstrate love and tolerance together with trust.
As we grow as individuals and as a church we must be ready to move deeper into Christ and deeper into the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes we grow comfortable with where we are at, maybe even in a rut, but God does not want us like that He wants us to be on fire for Him.
But the second part of this reading tells us how the river enters the sea, this is the Dead Sea, but where the river flows suddenly there is life not only life but life in abundance.
Large numbers of fish, so many the people stand on the banks and draw them in. Fruit trees with a bumper harvest like we have never seen before
Their fruit will serve as food their leaves for healing.
I remember being in Ethiopia a number of years ago and it was just after a famine, plants had grown got so far and died, the Ethiopian pastor with us prophesied to the land it would be fruitful and no more famine.
I haven't been in that region for a while but as far as I am aware there has not been a famine in that part of Ethiopia.
It says in Revelation "behold I make all things new"
In other words God is primarily interested in people but He is also in the business of restoring all of creation and it is for us to work in partnership with Him.
We know there are people with needs both in our fellowship but also outside and God will give us what we need to minister to those needs.
Our prayer group has given me words from the Lord that has effectively called for correction in how we operate, we must remember that everything is to His glory and His glory alone.
In our Bible study group Jesus has opened up new opportunities and challenged us in how we interact with our neighbours.
Often we see a problem and immediately offer practical solutions but we also need to turn these needs into prayers.
In Isaiah 43:19 it says this
"Forget the former things do not dwell on the past, see I am doing a new thing"
The past gives us as individuals and a chapel a point of reference and experience to work from but we cannot hold onto that too tightly we have to let it go to enable us to experience new things.
We are in unchartered waters as a community and as a nation. To impact this nation we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit directed by God alone and be prepared to step out.
There are some amazing things going on in the nation. God is moving among His people and in the nation and the good news is that He has called us to work here.
In the coming days and weeks ask God to fill you afresh with the Holy Spirit and be prepared to go a bit deeper into the river. Nobody will force you to do anything you don't want to do.
Pray that God will show you who He has prepared to hear the Good news of Jesus.
Pray that God will pour out His spirit upon this Valley and the Nation to renew it again.