"There is a river, whose streams gladden the city of God..." (Psalm 46:4).
The stream flowing through our lives is from eternity to eternity. It is artesian. It is totally adequate. Everything we need is borne by that stream. Its origin is the realm beyond, and it carries infinite resources. In this space-time realm, conditioned as we are, the stream can seem to be a trickle. It seems puny against the drugs we're battling, against the divisions among us or the power of greed that fuels our economy.
When we're up against all the world's needs and lacks--the way we perceive life--the stream seems inadequate. But in fact, it is a powerful, surging, cleansing tide that purifies all it touches. It is a grace torrent. It flows irrespective of merit. It carries everything that a human being has ever needed--and could ever want. Whatever we need will flow by at just the opportune moment. Our problem is that we're not attuned to the stream. We don't see it. We're not even looking in the river's direction.
But when we wait in expectancy, looking at the stream and then recognizing what we need as it floats by, we simply reach out and take the gift. It's an effortless way of living. Usually we're not attuned to effortlessness. We're too busy striving. We're holding forth and carrying on and trying to reach our goals. The wisdom of the stream is the opposite of this. What I'm talking about is moving from a conceptual awareness of God's care--the idea of God's providence--to trusting the flow of that stream that carries everything we need and will bring it at just the opportune moment.
Jesus found it difficult to understand his disciples' anxiety. He was so in the river, he was so aware that the stream carried everything that was needed, that he couldn't understand why others were having so much trouble with the idea. What he says is to set our minds on God's realm, God's justice, before everything else. Everything else will be given by the stream. This is different from achievement and different from making things happen. Do not be anxious about tomorrow, Jesus says. You'll have plenty to think about when tomorrow comes. Now the stream is flowing.
Once we get accustomed to noticing the stream, and we spend more time near the stream, taking from it what is being given, there comes another step: actually getting into the water and resting in its flow. Even when the flow is a torrent, we know we are safe. We trust the flow. We become non-resistant. We become receptive. We trust the power of the divine presence, which longs to take our one little life to its divine destination. Even if we're in deep water, we trust the flow and are not afraid. We simply wait in expectancy to round the next bend, looking in wonder at the view. Always a new view. Effortlessness, expectancy and wonder are how we live, rather than striving.
Faith, in the biblical sense, is trusting the flow and reveling in the view and being carried beyond all existing boundaries. Faith is being excited about the final destination, even when the destination is mystery. When Jesus says, "Believe in God, believe also in me," he is saying, "Get into the stream with us. It's a stream of pure grace and mercy. Go into its depths and find us there."
Gordon Cosby, along with his wife Mary, established The Church of the Saviour in 1947. In this, his 93rd year of life, he still offers his wisdom and vision to the community.
Dear Mary and Gordon Cosby,
Thankyou for sharing your best through your ministry by being who you are and through, "The Church of the Saviour"
Recently within the last three days, "The River, and God's Mercy and Grace" has been in my consciousness so much that when I read these words, I couln't help but say ---Awesome! This is the first time, I have no words to express my gratitude. Thankyou and Namaste!
Jesus says, "Believe in God, believe also in me," and
"There is a river, whose streams gladden the city of God..." (Psalm 46:4).
This is a wonderful message. Uplifting and especially helpful for those going through challenges as it seems to suggest that going with the current or flow is best even when you feel you are in "deep water". Doing so every day regardless of large challenges is also a main message here and echoes Eckardt Tolle's work of being in the now. Easy to talk about, harder to do! But he suggests starting to notice first, be closer to the stream second, and third, get on in!
I kept saying "yes but" as I read this, until I got to the end where Gordon says "get into the stream". For a long time I have embraced the idea that when I relax in my journey and let the stream (God) carry me, life is better, I have more energy, and I can be more easily used be God. Most of us are to concerned with being in control of our lives. That takes our focus off of the important things of life and does not leave us with enough energy to react to the injustices of the world.
Thank you for bringing these words into my mind and heart. The stream is such a good picture to me of God's providence--the stream that carries everything we need. Jesus was so in the river...he couldn't understand why others were having so much trouble with the idea.."Get into the stream with us" he says--I hope I can say Yes...
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The last time I was anywhere near a stream to the point that I could get in it was on Easter, 1990.
I was with a group of fellow 12 steppers, taking what I was told was to be an innocuous stroll up a stream. I should have known better, especially since the one who told me that was a veteran forest ranger, but no.
The trip in the three miles went fairly well, but then after a lunch we had to turn around and come back out. About a mile after we started hiking back out, I went to step on a rock midstream and fell. That was the first of five falls I took that day, some time during which I wrenched all of the ligaments in my right knee. Then once we made it the rest of the way out to where we had started the hike, we had to get to my car, which was another 1/2 mile away. I then drove my friends home, then myself, took a shower and changed clothes, and finally went to the hospital E. R. By then my knee was too swollen to do anything with besides a cursory check of it. I was sent home with an ace bandage, and went on from there with life.
I hadn't thought about this story for several years before I read the posting for today.
I know, the "Stream" N. Gordon Cosby is speaking of in this piece isn't the type of stream I am remembering; but my thoughts about wading into the spiritual stream are about the same as the stream I was in now some 20 years later. I still though, even though I am well aware of the hazards of not doing so, tend to send others out into the spiritual stream for me, to gather what I need to have rather than going into the stream myself. Sometimes the results are good, sometimes not.
I decided to spend the day today by myself, listening for the Lord, etc., instead of doing my usual taking care of others. I have realized through out the day that the reason why the plans I try to live out don't always go so well, is because I sent someone else to get them for me. My fellow humans only know me by who I present myself as being, not as the Trinity knows me. SOOO, I have decided to take some time over the next few remaining weeks of Lent and do some listening to the Trinity, myself. As fearful as I am of "streams", actually of "falling down" midstream, I have realized that I need to be the one going to the "stream"/the Trinity, not my friends who I usually send for me.
Thank you, N. Gordon Cosby, for giving the original sermon, and Kayla and the rest of you at Inward Outward, for posting this piece. It came at just the "opportune moment".
Deanna Jean
The words of Gordon Cosby were floating down the stream and I'm so grateful that I was looking. God's call to trust and relinquish my tight grasp of control is the challenge of this moment in my life and the words of this passage were true refreshment for my body and soul. I'm not ready to dive in but I can feel that moment coming. Thank you for listening to your own heart and posting this message.
What is the difference between the stream depicted here and someone who decides that all she/he has to do is sit back and wait for the Lord to act on everything, to the extent that obvious personal and interpersonal needs are ignored and become opportunities for blindness and deafness to the needs of the soul? In other words, how can you make sure that this does not become passivity? Sometimes direct action is called for. If we really get in the stream, we must act or we drown.
I do agree with the writer, but I also have this caveat, that I have seen this other problem, and it leaves me confused.
If my soul had a voice, this is what it would say.
I am at a very difficult time in my life right now - this is what God gave me to make it through in Him.
Thank you with all my heart - thank God.
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