Last week I was thinking about the journey of Abram. When Abram was 75 years old, God promised him that he would be made into "a great nation" (Genesis 12.2). Since Abram had no children he had to have a lot of faith in God to believe this incredible promise. Then Abram endures many hardships, times of sin, and humbling himself before his Creator.  Years pass and still no child. I'm sure that my shriveled up body would begin to lose hope in the promise God spoke so long ago...if I was Abram, that is. 

God understood that Abraham needed some encouragement so in Genesis 15, he speaks to Abram again. He speaks words of comfort to Abram, reminding Abram that he has not forgotten him. Abram is not appeased. He loses his temper with God and gets a bit sarcastic. "What can you give me, God?" Abram asks. You see, Abram has had this conversation with God before. He's heard the promise, but he's waited years and years! How do you respond when you're sure God has spoken, but then nothing happens? Weeks, months, maybe even years pass...and nothing happens. The hardship still plagues you. 

God heard Abram, so he took Abram outside to change his perspective. Sometimes, we think the road to the promises of God is a straight path, but if we look closely, we'll see the twists and turns in the road from where we are to the destination of the promise. "Count the stars, Abram," God instructs him. I wonder sometimes if Abram actually started to count the stars, meanwhile thinking, "I get what you're saying here God."

Yet, it wasn't until years later that God's promise is fulfilled and Isaac is born. Through all of the life situations that Abram encountered, he had to keep in mind that night when he went outside and God promised he would make Abram's family number more than the stars in the sky. He had to remember what he saw, not focus on what he sees before him. He had to be careful not to focus on the discouraging situation before him (see), but on that starry night so long ago (saw). 

That's how my faith is sometimes, like a seesaw. When my godly desires, what God has spoken to me, don't align with what is before me. I'm sure you've encountered that too. Just remember to keep your hopes up. Give your glory to God and remember what you saw, not what you see.

Recently I was reminded of a passage I hadn't looked at in years. Ezekiel 47 speaks of being led into the river of God, flowing from the temple. The water starts ankle deep and rises until it is deep enough to swim in. Then the man shows Ezekiel all of the life being fed by this water. Ezekiel goes back to the shore and the man continues speaking to him.

This is such a beautiful and poetic metaphor for our relationship with God. Reading this I wonder if Ezekiel was tempted to dive under the water, let it surround him, then take a deep breath.  I wonder then, if the water would have flooded Ezekiel's lungs would give him life, instead of taking it. 

Many times our faith seems just as contradictory as this. We need to fight against our instincts to do the right thing. I fight against my sinful instincts - those times when I don't want to show grace or patience; those times when no one is looking - take a deep breath, and and allow God to breath living water into my very being.

That's what the resurrection did. The cross was a moment in time, but the resurrection is renewed each day! So dive deep into those living waters, knowing that the source is the risen Saviour - your creator.