“He brought me to the door of the temple, and water was issuing from below the threshold toward the east… The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. He brought me out the north gate and led me around to the outer gate that faces east; and the water was trickling out on the south side.
“Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. And he said to me, ‘Son of man, have you seen this?’
“Then he led me back to the bank of the river. As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and the other. He said, ‘This water flows toward the east… and goes down into the Arabah..; when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh. And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes… It will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds… And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail. They will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.'” Ezekiel 47:1-10,12
The beautiful vision of the flowing water given to Ezekiel from the Lord flows with the freshness and hope of its life-giving message. A trickle begins, turning into a stream, then a river, bringing satisfaction and beauty and fruitfulness wherever it goes, and leaves for healing. Not only is thirst slaked, and fruit trees grow giving fragrance and nourishment, but even the leaves bring healing to the soul. The Lord’s living water does far more than simple minds imagine, to His glory. (John 7:37-39)
In God’s great world He gives many illustrations from nature for His design of man’s need of water and His intention for our fruitfulness. The invitation to go deep, and deeper still, welcomes us to deep satisfaction and flourishing. It also beckons us to healing from an array of ills.
In the muddle of days, busyness may hide our need for soul work that only God can do. Have we hidden long-seated jealousy or resentment? Do we suffer from the sting of shame or regret for things done or left undone? What specific area- body, temper, tongue, mind- trembles for healing from God? Only when we immerse ourselves in His living water will we absorb all it supplies.
Lord, by Your grace, help me receive and extend Your leaves of healing.
