Ezekiel 47:1-5: a reflection

1He brought me back to the door of the temple; and behold, waters flowed out from under the threshold of the temple eastward, for the front of the temple faced toward the east. The waters came down from underneath, from the right side of the temple, on the south of the altar. 2Then he brought me out by the way of the gate northward, and led me around by the way outside to the outer gate, by the way of the gate that looks toward the east. Behold, waters ran out on the right side. 3When the man went out eastward with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the ankles. 4Again he measured one thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the knees. Again he measured one thousand, and caused me to pass through waters that were to the waist. 5Afterward he measured one thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the waters had risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be walked through.

Ezekiel is shown a vision of a river flowing out from under the threshold of the temple, from the presence of God. As his guide leads him along the river, measuring as they go, the water deepens: first ankle-deep, then knee-deep, then waist-deep, and at last a river too deep to cross, deep enough to swim in, that could not be passed through on foot. The river of life flowing from God's presence grew ever deeper the further one went into it.

Notice the deepening of the river. It began shallow, ankle-deep, easily waded; but the further one went, the deeper it became, until it was beyond all footing, waters to swim in, a river that carried you. The life and grace flowing from God's presence is not a shallow trickle but a deepening river, with ever-deeper waters for those who go further in.

That is an invitation to go deeper into God. Many of us stay in the shallows, ankle-deep, content with a shallow experience of God's life and grace, never venturing further in. But the river deepens; there are knee-deep, waist-deep, and swimming waters for those who go further, deeper reaches of God's life and grace, of communion with him, that we have not yet known. Do not stay content in the shallows. Venture further into the river of God's life and grace, from ankle-deep toward the waters too deep to stand in, where you are carried by the current of his life. There is always more of God to know, deeper waters to enter. Go deeper into the river that flows from his presence, until it carries you.

Lord, Ezekiel saw a river flowing from your presence that deepened the further he went, from ankle-deep to waters too deep to cross, a river to swim in. Draw me into deeper waters. So often I stay in the shallows, content with a shallow experience of your life and grace, never venturing further in. But the river deepens; there are depths of your life, your grace, your presence, that I have not yet known. Keep me from staying content in the shallows. Draw me further into the river that flows from your presence, from ankle-deep toward the waters that carry me, into deeper communion with you than I have known. There is always more of you to know; give me the desire to go deeper, until the current of your life carries me. Take me into the deeper waters.