#3040 - Flowing Grace

Sunday it was a bright and sunny day. I was dropped off at the cross country ski trails to hike around while everybody else went skiing. There was no snow at this time on the ground here, and the sun was out with blue skies and clouds. It was beautiful.

I started to take photographs in black and white as well as color. As I was walking along I heard water running to my right near some trees. As I approached there seemed to be a small stream flowing. I put my backpack down and attached my camera to a tripod to photograph the water. I began to step over part of the stream to photograph parts of the upper stream. As I turned around I heard a voice say "As the water flows over the rocks and smooths the rough edges so does my grace flow through your life."

I took a couple of photographs, but I felt like I didn't capture what God had spoken to me. As I stepped back over the stream I stepped on a rock and my right foot sank into the mud up to my calf, and I began to fall. I was quickly reminded how dirty I am and how my sins cause me to stumble and fall. As I regained my footing and tried to knock off some of the mud from my pants I was still reminded of what God spoke to me just before I fell.

I turned around and looked at this little stream, and I saw the photograph that appears above. I took about 15 photographs in all but only about 10 in this little spot. I chose this photograph as what I believe God was trying to convey to me that day.

In our walks with God we have times where we feel like we are on a spiritual high. That everything is going right, and we see God's hand working in our lives. But there are times where we are in a valley. That life is hard to live and we wonder where God is or when He will deliver us from this suffering. We have times in our walk with God where we bear fruit and have times of barrenness. There are times in our lives where the path is rocky and unstable. We may stumble and fall. Some days we walk in the light and other days it seems like we are in the dark. But God is always there working in our lives. His grace, mercy, love, peace, patience, and kindness flowing in the middle of our lives.

The photo has captured this if you look carefully. The water begins on a high point (spiritual high) and flows to a lower point (valleys). The right side has shadows (darkness) while the left side is basked in the glow of sunlight (light). Near the top of the photo we see grass growing (fruitful times) and we also see empty branches with nothing (barrenness) growing on it. The rocks are above and below the waterline (rocky path). But the water flows right down the middle of the photograph (God's characteristics). It waters the soil to bring life. It flows over the rocks smoothing out the rough edges and washing away the dirt and grime. It is basked in darkness and sunlight. It flows from a high point to a low point.

But the key characteristic is that it is flowing. No matter what it encounters or what is going on around it. It is flowing. It is constantly working just like God is always working in our lives bringing us closer to him. He is smoothing our rough edges, reshaping our lives, washing away the filth of this world. Constantly working in our high and low parts of life. In our dark days as well as our bright days. He is helping us to bear fruit in due season and teaching us patience in our times of need.

What a wonderful God we serve! Praise God!