Clear Waters

I stood on a bluff overlooking two streams of water as they merged into one a hundred feet below me. It was an amazing view both beautiful and dangerous at the same time.

It had been raining before we got there and we canoed all day in rain. The river had been rising all day and the canoeing got exciting with the high water producing challenging rapids. The danger kept other boaters away and we seemed to have the river to ourselves. We were exhausted when we made camp early in the afternoon.

Our campsite was a cabin next to a spring that could only be reached by boat. The spring flowed into the river along side a high gray bluff that was covered in green. The bluff overlooking our campsite was too great a temptation as we discussed what the view must be like from the top. We forgot our exhaustion as we climbed to the top and took in the view.

We looked down on the clear spring as it flowed into the muddy water of the rising river. At the intersection the water swirled in confusion as if trying to decide if it would continue on clear like the spring or muddy like the river. But the river was more powerful than the spring and we watched as an ugly transformation took place. The rising brown water of the river began to push its way into the stream of the spring. The spring was constant and was not getting any stronger. It became obvious that the river being fed by the rain would eventually overcome the spring if it continued to rise.

That night the river crested and in a few days it was back to normal. The river had turned muddy because the rain ran over the hills and valleys and brought everything that was loose on the surface into the river. The spring never stopped flowing clear water. After the rain stopped the constant flow of cold clear springs eventually cleared up the water and the river ran clear. Soon, the clear river once again attracted crowds of happy people playing in its water.

Thinking back about that experience I am reminded of the passage in James 3:1, “Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening?” No, sweet and bitter water come from two different sources. If they try to merge it will only turn the good water bitter. But when the flow of bitter water is stopped and the sweet water is allowed to continue it will eventually all flow sweet again.

Our relationship with God is our most important relationship. As we draw near to him, the source of all that is holy and good, He clears up the dark places in our life. James 4:18 says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”

Robin