A Drop Becomes a River
By Gary Piper of Fort Gratiot, MI, USA
“Here is my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not wrangle or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope.” —Matthew 12:18–21 NRSV
Beginning high on a snow-capped mountain where the air is thin, where the sky and Earth meet, a single snowflake falls. Then another falls, and another… Warmed by the sun the snowflakes begin to melt and embark on a harsh journey down the mountainside. Soon the resulting water begins cutting a small furrow into the solid rock as the forces of gravity pull it downward. Before long the solid rock gives way to insistent erosion, and soon the furrow becomes a small mountain stream.
As the stream of water flows downward and is joined by other small streams, suddenly it is no longer small. It teems with life as it journeys through rich forests of trees filled with birds and animals rejoicing in the life-giving habitat. Mysteriously it gives of its essence to support the life of the forest. The stream does not stop. It gives and gives.
Beginning high on God’s Mountain where the air is pure and we keenly feel the Creator, a microscopic drop of Divine Spirit joins our journey. Then there is another drop and another… Insistently the Holy Spirit pours over our lives and embarks on a difficult journey. As the heaviness of our struggles pulls us downward, the Spirit begins cutting a small pathway ahead of us. Before long God’s immeasurable Spirit fills us. As the past becomes the future, the small pathway becomes a mountain stream, nourishing and bringing life to the desert places where we journey.
As the river flows on, the Holy Spirit grows with each experience. Suddenly it teems with gifts, talents, faith, love, and strength. As the river journeys through the fertile fields of our life, through rough terrain, through dark tunnels, and through the desert places, it mysteriously revives us. The river forever keeps us channeled to the Creator by its living water.
Prayer for Peace
Creator Spirit, flow through us as we journey to your holy mountain. Then, strengthened by your Living Water, send us on the outward path as we practice peace.
Spiritual Practice: Flowing Water
If possible, sit where you can hear the sound of water—a fountain, stream, the sea (perhaps a recording of water sounds). Listen to the sound as you thank God for the life-giving, life-shaping power of water. Pray for God’s blessing on all the parched places of the Earth where there is injustice, oppression, violence, and disregard for life. Pray for God’s justice to be released and imagine it flowing over the Earth, restoring righteousness and wholeness. Now, get up and drink a glass of clear, cold water as you pray, “God, let your justice flow through me as a disciple of Christ Jesus.”
Peace Covenant
Today, God, I will consider all the many ways I feel your Spirit, and I will be amazed again!
