God Brings Us Through

It is lovely how God's word speaks to our hearts in different reasons and ways.  We can be ministered to by our reading of narratives that demonstrate God's faithfulness to guide and strengthen His people on an epic adventure, the lyrics of a Psalm or even a repeated phrase.  As I read Ezekiel 47 this morning, a phrase resonated in my heart of God's goodness.  It was like walking a familiar path, seeing something shiny sticking out of the dirt that prompts you to stop and dig around it to see what it is.  When I examined and turned the phrase over in my mind, I realised it was of incredible value.

Ezekiel 47:1-6 describes a vision of Ezekiel the prophet:  "Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. ² He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side. ³ And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. ⁴ Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. ⁵ Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed. ⁶ He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen this?" Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river."

Ezekiel saw a river of water flowing from the presence of God.  As the waters flowed out instead of growing more shallow they grew increasingly deep.  The phrase that grabbed my attention was how Ezekiel said his angelic guide "brought me through the waters."  The waters were ankle deep and Ezekiel was brought through; the waters came to his knees and he was brought through; over one thousand cubits the waters came up to his waist.  When the water became so deep the river could not be crossed without swimming Ezekiel said, "he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river."  It made me consider how God does this for His people, faithfully bringing them through all situations and seasons of life.  Should I see a stream I do not instinctively wade into it, yet when God leads us we can be assured He will bring me through.  While He could part the waters so His people can pass through on dry ground, sometimes He chooses not to.

In my own life I can testify Jesus Christ, the source of the Living Water of the Holy Spirit, has brought me through much water by His grace.  Jesus is faithful to empower and sustain those who trust in Him.  He enables us to stand upright, upholds and guides us with His righteous right hand.  Praise the LORD He has brought us through the ankle-deep water, bringing us through things that on our own we would have quit or turned aside from long ago.  We would have left the river instead of wading onwards and ever deeper, not realising His intention was to bring us through to the point we return to Him.  When things become impossible for us the Holy Spirit prompts us to return to our Saviour as at the beginning, knowing without Jesus we can do nothing.  Because God has brought us through, we can have assurance He will bring us through the waters we are in now whether shallow or deep, refreshing or overwhelming.  Glory to God who brings us through!