Portions from Ezekiel 47:1-12 During the vision that the Lord gave to Ezekiel about the temple of God: "The man brought me(Ezekiel) back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple...the water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar...he led me through water that was ankle deep...through water that was knee deep...through water that was up to the waist...now it was a river that I could not cross because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in -- a river that no one could cross.  He asked me, 'Son of man, do you see this?'  Then he led me back to the bank of the river. When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river.  He said to me...swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows...where the river flows everything will live...fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river.  Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail.  Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them.  Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing." I read this passage just after speaking to a new sister in Christ, a gifted violinist whom I had the pleasure to play with last weekend during a time of anointed worship.  The Lord's presence was so richly in the music that we were just carried away and overwhelmed in worship!  It was one of those evenings that I will treasure in my heart for the rest of my life. When I read this passage in Ezekiel, I was struck with the imagery of the river as a symbol of worship through music that brings healing and life!  First of all, the river flows from the altar of God in the temple.  The altar was in the Holy of Holies, the most anointed and sacred place where the presence of Almighty God dwelt. (Ex.26:31-35; Hebrews 10:19-23) I see this river flowing from God's presence, embodying His power and peace, and flowing as a rushing river in a wide path.  Everything in the path of the river was full of life, was fruitful, was renewed and fresh.  Friends, that is true when we worship our God!  Our lives are renewed, our spirits are refreshed; God gives new vision and new energy.  He bears fresh fruit through us to bring us pleasure and peace and to bring glory to His name! (Galatians 5:22-25) First the river was only ankle deep...at times our worship doesn't have much energy, does it?  Perhaps it is because there is sin in our lives, or maybe we are just not spending the time in the Word and in prayer.  Next the river is knee deep.  Then waist high...now we're learning, right?  We are bathing ourselves in the Word, seeking after the Lord, wanting to grow in His love, desiring that our lives match up with our talk. The next image is that the river is deep enough to swim in!  Oh friends!  This just thrilled my heart and brought tears to my eyes!  Oh that we would grasp how long and wide and high and deep is the love of Christ! (Ephesians 3:14-19) May we be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God!  Glory to His name!  It just makes me want to sing! Where the river flows everything lives!  We serve a God of life and life abundant.  (John 10:10-11) I am not talking about the abundance of the world, although certainly the Lord blesses us with tangible things as well.  But I am speaking more about the abundance of life that is found when we totally surrender to His will, when we fix our eyes on Him, when we find the joy that surpasses knowledge of just being in His presence.  Friends, that kind of worship will change our lives!  That kind of worship brings healing in every form -- spiritual, emotional, relational and physical. I pray that would swim in the ocean of the Lord Almighty's presence through worship!

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