I can't believe I forgot to write about one of the huge object lessons from the trip, which is the lesson of the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is the terminus of the Jordan River.
To backtrack - earlier on the trip we stood at one of the main sources for the Jordan River at Caesarea Philippi (AKA Banias or Panias) - where the water gushes out from beneath the rocks to become one of the 3 main sources of the river. From not far below Banias, the Jordan River this time of year rushes and tumbles, water a dirty brown with all the silt it carries on its way toward the Sea of Galilee. The Sea of Galilee is full of life. Fish and freshwater crabs thrive in its waters. Villages and cities thrive on its shores.
As the water leaves the Sea of Galilee to continue the journey south, the Jordan River is calm. And it continues down through the West Bank to its destination: The Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is...dead. No life in it. It is a great salt sea, and the lowest place on earth. Water evaporates - but there is no exit - so no life.
It was a wonderful visual object lesson and message for our lives. The Holy Spirit pours His life into us - but we must pour it out to truly be alive in Christ. If we are not giving as well as receiving, we become stagnant. Dead.
I've thought a lot about the lesson of the Dead Sea. I've been in an 'in between' time in my life. We go through seasons - and it will always be so - but the Lord doesn't have a retirement plan. He redirects us to what's next - but to our final breath we always need to be asking, "What next?" And then - "whatever our hand finds to do - to do it with all our might!" With His guidance and direction, of course!
I looked up the verse that challenge comes from. It is in Ecclesiastes - and is part of a rather depressed view of our existence on earth - but that one thought has merit. The Presbyterian Church I was part of for most of my adult life commissioned us each year for the tasks & ministries we had committed to do, and part of the challenge of the commissioning was to serve with energy, intelligence, imagination and love. I absolutely loved the intentionality of it - and took the commitment very seriously. It echoed the protestant work ethic I had been raised with, and resonated with my soul as the right way to live.
Lord, I need some specific direction right now. There are so many available options and opportunities. I want to choose what You want. Today would be good timing!
No comments:
Post a Comment