Streams of Mercy (Part 2)

DOWN-POUR

Many of my friends and I have been praying for a young man who was caught up in the Jan 6 fiasco, and ended up being incarcerated for around a year and a half. Over that time, he pretty much lost everything–his business, his home, his marriage, you name it. One thing he GAINED in that process, however, was CHRIST! (See Philippians 3:8.) Praise the Lord, he gave his heart to Jesus over those many lonely months. He was released finally in recent weeks (Hallelujah!!!). Please do keep him in prayer, as he adjusts to this new life, and as those around him seek to build him up in Jesus.

He was recently baptized, and I had the blessing of being there and singing during that baptism. We musicians were protected under a little tent, just in case, because there was rain in the forecast for later on that day. A couple of others were being baptized first, and there were some light rain sprinkles during that time. When this particular young man came to be baptized, it was suddenly as if the floodgates of heaven were opened, and that God was personally baptizing not only this man, but those of us who were witnesses also. I was under the little tent, and usually that would be my preference, not being one to go out in the rain and have my hair look like a drowned rat (I AM a girl, after all! )

There was a recorded song that was being played for him after he came up from being dunked under the water, as he and the pastor stood together in the water, praising the Lord. I don’t even remember what the song was. But in that moment, the Holy Spirit was VERY palpable (at least to me), and I walked OUT of the little shelter, into the downpour and praised our mighty God for saving this young man’s life and getting him freed not only from his physical prison, but from his spiritual prison. He had graciously answered SO MANY prayers. I did NOT want to miss out on that incredible moment, even though, yes, I DID look like a drowned rat for the rest of the day! It was well worth it! Praise God for pouring His abundance down on His beloved children.

Our natural inclination is often to run FROM the storms of this life, not to bask in the POWER of the One causing those cleansing mysterious waters to flow so abundantly.

THE BROOK ALONG THE WAY

In Psalm 110, a very messianic and prophetic Psalm, there is a rather interesting little phrase at the end that’s always intrigued me, wondering why it’s included in this incredible Psalm all about Jesus. It says: “He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.” (Psalm 110:7 ESV)

The week after the baptism, when getting ready for church early on Sunday morning, there was another torrential rainfall. Our driveway began to flood, and only the Lord knew if I’d be able to get out of the driveway to head to church. Thankfully, the downpour ended and the driveway cleared out. I planned to take the highway to church, because who knew WHAT the backroads that I usually take would be like, since they are very winding, tree-lined roads? When heading out though, it dawned on me that rote habit had taken me the usual way, leading me onto the scenic route as usual. I prayed the roads would be clear, and praise the Lord, they were clear except for the several branches, limbs and other tree parts that littered the sides of the road.

Running along the edge of this road, there is a usually-unnoticeable brook off in the woods. While driving along, it became VERY obvious that this little babbling, unremarkable brook had absorbed all of that rainfall, and was now quite an active, flowing, rushing stream. While driving along, the song we were about to sing at church (Come Thou Fount) was playing over and over (to practice) in my car. The words “streams of mercy, never ceasing” jumped out in my heart bringing this word picture into clearer focus.

That same downpour that had threatened to KEEP me from church, and could have caused fallen trees to BLOCK my path, was the cause of this beautiful life-giving scene. It’s likely often that way in the “storms” that we all go through in our lives. My family’s been going through some recently. Many of my friends too. How about you? Your friends? It’s hard to go through these things. Yet if we have eyes to see, we can take a step back and maybe in some strange, profound way, see the Living Water that Jesus is pouring out into our lives, and overflowing to the lives around us.

THE KING’S FAVOR

Our pastor has been encouraging us lately to read a chapter in Proverbs that corresponds with each day of the month. Earlier that same morning, reading the Proverb for that date (Proverbs 16), verse 15 had popped out, and even now resounds in my heart while thinking back on the stories above:

“In the light of a king’s face, there is life, and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.”

If you have placed your faith and trust in Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, you have been adopted into the King’s family (if you haven’t yet done that, by all means, I encourage you to do so!!!)

Oh, dear child of the King, whatever challenges He is calling you to face, whatever storms threaten to overwhelm and sweep you away, might I encourage you to step out from under the tent that you THINK is PROTECTING you (your own thoughts, your own plans, your own supposed wisdom), and step out into the downpour, under His TRUE tent, His protection, His wisdom, His grace, and let Him lead you beside the brook along the way.

I’m sure He’ll lovingly give you a drink, and lift up your head to see His face smiling down on you….