"The Lesson of the River" - Part 6

As I looked downstream, I realized that I was seeing only a very small portion of the river. The lessons I was learning were being repeated over and over with numerous variations, and there were more lessons in the river. The running water was fresh and "alive." Sometimes it was obvious because of shallow rapids, but other times it was deep and appeared calm while it moved. Rocks helped divert the water so that it covered more area. While they looked like a hindrance to the flow of the river, they actually served the great purpose of spreading out the life-giving effects of the river. They were also a part of God's plan that created stagnant pools like mine. There are purposes and times to be in what seem like worthless stagnant pools. The pools provide a resting place, holding area until it is time to re-enter the flow, place for the creation to get water ("still waters"), and reflecting pools of God's glory.

The rocks remind me of "The Rock" of the words of Jesus on which He said the wise man built his house that could stand against a raging storm. While they may seem inconvenient, create a place for slippery moss to gather (on which one can stumble and be "crushed"), and impede the flow of the river, they not only fulfill the purposes above but also provide stepping stones across the river. Without rocks there would be no rapids for beauty, thrills and oxygenation, places for smaller fish to have shelter, or stone to be ground into soil.

Every single element of the river provided lessons, but the best was yet to come!