The River- Ezekiel 47

I'm stealing this from my friend Pastor Erin Bird.  Erin spoke today at Grace and challenged us; I want to share the basics of what he shared.

"As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep.  He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep.  He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist.  He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in, a river that no one could cross.  He asked me, 'Son of man, do you see this?"  Ezekiel 47-3-6

Please read Ezekiel 47:1-12 if you want the full context.

The river that Ezekiel is going through is the river that leads from under the Temple.  This river represents Christ Jesus.  Erin used this passage powerfully to ask a few questions.

The river's current will take you where it wants you to go, but the deeper you go the more control the river has and the less you do.  He said, some of us are ankle-deep.  We have fire insurance from Christ, but not much more.  Some are knee-deep.  We have some spiritual disciples but we are holding on to control of most of our life.  In Ezekiel's final stage he was in over his head.

Erin challenged our church to go deeper into the river that is our Lord, Christ Jesus.  As we go deeper the more we surrender our movements to Christ.  Remember, we aren't necessarily swept into the current as much as we are wading into the river deeper until we finally lift our feet and gladly let the current of Christ take us.

He left us with two questions.

What does deeper mean to me?

What does deeper mean for my church?

I think these are two phenomenal questions.  Ask them to yourself today.