Meandering (is. 12:3, Jn. 410-14; Jn. 7:37-39)

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Early this morning as the plane I was in flew high out of Montgomery tracking towards Atlanta, I noticed (not for the first time) how much water there is in our neck of the woods—streams, ponds, rivers, tributaries, lakes, swamps—such an abundance of water. It’s ubiquitous. 


Seeing all that winding water made me wonder why the rivers meander so. Why did God not make them to run in straighter lines? I had to look up why rivers meander when I had a chance and found it interesting. So I will share. 


“Meanders,” or a river’s winding over land in a series of loops, is an actual label given by geologists to describe the phenomenon one can clearly see from the air. Steven Fentress speaks of this in an interesting online article with pictures to illustrate for those uninitiated (https://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/why-rivers-dont-flow-in-straight-lines.php). Fentress says meanders occur “whenever there’s a steady flow of water over nearly flat land of fine-textured soils.”


Fentress said that meanders also grow as the pressure of rushing water forces the water to flow outward around a bend causing erosion on the outside and the buildup of silt on the inside turn, eventually changing the path of the river to something new and cutting off old sections of loops, forming standalone oxbow lakes. 


As I consider this, I see spiritual connotations. In Jer. 17, God speaks of Himself as the fountain of living water, and of His own people turning from Him and falling into idolatry and evil instead of drawing upon the water He provides. These foolish ones cut themselves off in the rush of life, in its pain and bitterness and business, enticed by new paths or  creating their own paths that will surely lead them away from God. 


But those who don’t meander away from the Living Water (as Jesus also calls Himself in John 4:10-14 and 7:37-39) find in Him a water that springs up within, satisfying their thirsty souls with water that runs true, steering where the Spirit leads, flowing at His direction. Drinking intentionally from His wellspring satisfies the parched soul, and it, in its fullness, spills out the gospel message onto other thirsty souls, not cutting them off but drawing them in to life with Christ. To remain, to be incorporated into the body. 


When I got to the hotel today I had a lot of time while waiting on my friends to arrive. Not surprisingly, I found this thread suggested for reflection as we begin and as we go through and even beyond the TGCW22 conference, Isaiah 12:3, which says, “You will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation” (NASB). 


The context here comes after a chapter that illuminates Jesus as the root of Jesse and then in this one pours out a song of praise unable to be contained because the Lord’s anger at His people has been turned away and replaced by compassion turned upon His own in comfort. God Himself will become their salvation and He is telling them they will pour out songs of thanksgiving, remembrance, exaltation, cries and shouts to their God who they will recognize as being great in their midst. He is speaking of us. We get to reap the joyful blessings of life in Christ. We have been saved through Jesus’ work on the cross.


My thoughts as I look at the meanderings of the waters of my state and the spiritual applications of thinking about Jesus as the Living Water is this: I must recognize that I can have joy that is drawn not from my circumstances but from the springs of salvation within me because of what He has done. His waters will never run dry! Praise him!


There is no need to ever live in a state of spiritual dehydration when Christ offers this Living Water. His presence within assures my thirst is able to be quenched when I turn to Him to meet my needs. When He meets them, I recognize His provision and overflow with joy. This is natural, expected even. Joy flows out of a heart too full to contain its praise of our Savior.  


Jeremiah speaks to this in 17:14: “Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for You are my praise.” 


What is unnatural and makes me shake my head is to see those who start out following a path that seems to lead to Christ but meander and eventually get cut off as life gets hard and the floods come, shifting them away from where they began. Drink from the Living Water offered. Jesus will not run dry or ever change course. He is steady, constant, worthy of your life and your praise!

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