A Leaf

This is me, folks.

Not the way God made me or wants me to be, for that matter. It's what I have allowed myself to become.

And we talked it about this morning. I have become this dried up, shriveled up, almost dead looking thing. Do you see those schorched edges? That's me too. I'm floating along still in The River of Life, b'e He said He will never leave me nor forsake me. However...

When I begin to let the circumstances of this world around me have their influence on me, I begin to draw my stem up and out of The River....

When the rains come, I try on my own power to refresh myself by closing in my tired and jagged leaf tips around the water beginning to pool in my center.

It just draws my stem further out of The River...

When I realize what I'm doing and let go and allow The River to feed me again, I begin to feel the True Water pumping thru my veins. But they have been dry for so long, that sometimes even this process can be uncomfortable to my fragile soul.

But I stay...and bask...I soak up The River and it is good!

But then...look...a pebble in The River. Did the Maker place it there to test my faith or did the lawless one ask to try to throw me off...again...

Feeling my strength somewhat back, I think I can handle it. But you see...that stone just lifts me completely out of The River. Zero connection. Notice The River is still pulsing right along around me.

My everything begins to dry again.

Only when I say enough and cry out will The River begin to swell and carry me and my wretched sinning self away, but The River STILL won't MAKE me drop my stem back in.

It's my choice.

Today I'm choosing to drop my stem back into The River. Oh, River...fill me...wash me again...keep me full and flowing out for You!

"...Everything that touches the water of this river will live." --Ezekiel 47:9a