October 23, 2007

Know the Source

About four miles east of Cimarron Colorado the road curves around an out cropping of rocks. In the summer water cascades over the rocks and drops about 30 feet and it’s not unusual to see people stop their cars at this picturesque spot. They get out, climb across the barbed wire fence, stand at the base of the falls and fill containers with water. Unbeknownst to the tourist seeking ‘pure Rocky Mountain spring water'…and much to the amusement of the locals…the stream is in fact only an irrigation ditch which winds its way through cow and sheep pastures before free falling over the rocks. Sure makes me thankful that the water from our rock is pure Living Water.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Gail;
-----I think I know that outcropping of rocks. I need to stop there sometime and behold this wonder. When I read your ideas, it brought to my mind the present condition of the church. People gather into their little congregations and drink down the water flowing from the pulpit as if it were coming freshly from inside the hill. But every passage of the Word must be understood before it can be taught or acted upon. Therefore what flows from the pulpit necessarily flows from the preacher’s understanding.
-----Understanding is interesting in that it must proceed from a combination of what is to be understood and one’s own point of view. And everyone’s point of view is to a lesser or greater degree different from anyone else‘s. Naturally that will render everyone’s understanding to be different as well. So when I sit and listen to a preacher, I am always very aware that I am being blessed with a brother’s point of view only for my observation and pondering. I never get right up to what flows from the pulpit and drink it down. I know what that water has flowed over in his pasture, because I have a pasture of my own with the same scattered upon it.
-----As you insinuate, Gail, when I wish to drink down, I open the Bible and drink straight from the rock.