iver Listen to theR
by Valerie Chism
iver Listen to theR by Valerie Chism
If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.� John 7:37,38 Graphic Design by Elizabeth Peters Š 2014
iver theR I’ve always loved rivers, and the Nueces River is definitely at the top of my list of favorites – it’s simply incredible. It’s a diamond of a river with so many facets: quiet, calm and peaceful, lifegiving to the desert, quizzically hidden at chosen turns, bubbling up at others, and sometimes wildly turbulent with power. There have been times of drought when the river drops and barely seeps along. Then again, there have been flash floods when the river has swept trees, deer, and huge boulders away, even demolishing our three ton river playground in a matter of minutes!
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb... And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:1, 17
Spring is an especially beautiful time to walk along the riverbank where the earliest signs of the season are sprouting with tiny bursts of color. New and refreshing life…what could be better? Over by the waterfall is one of my favorite spots. If you climb back between the rocks you can actually see the water gushing out of the mountainside… crystal clear and right out of the cracks in the boulders! That’s where I find bright green moss covered rocks, wild mint, and sweet watercress. Since we are at the headwaters of the Nueces, if you walk along the shallow edges of the river very quietly you can sometimes hear little places where the water is bubbling up from the springs and aquifer deep underground.
As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for Thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God, For the living God;” Psalm 42:1, 2a
What a picture of the Holy Spirit! Jesus Himself likened the river to His Holy Spirit when He said that we who believe in Christ will have streams of living water flowing from our innermost beings. Christ fills me and bubbles up from a deep aquifer within my soul, and He overflows to comfort, teach, and direct every crevice of my life‌ and then I can watch amazed and join with Him as He flows out from me to continue His blessing downriver.
nourishment For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God, The God who girds me with strength, And makes my way blameless? He makes my feet like hinds’ feet, And sets me upon my high places! Psalm 18:31-33
If you continue the next eight miles of dirt road south from camp, you cross the river six more times before reaching the highway. In some places the water is rippling joyfully over the rocks as you splash by, but just around the bend the river appears to be completely dried up. You turn another corner, and there’s the river again, carving out huge thoroughfares through the limestone bluffs. The river is victoriously persistent! Oswald Chambers says it this way: “Think of the healing and far-reaching rivers developing and nourishing themselves in our souls! God has been opening up wonderful truths to our minds, and every point He has opened up is another indication of the wider power of the river that He will flow through us. If you believe in Jesus, you will find that God has developed and nourished in you mighty, rushing rivers of blessing for others.” (My Utmost for His Highest, Sep. 6)
‘I will lift up my eyes to the mountatins; From whence shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Psalm 121:1-3
As the deer pants for the water brooks,So my soul pants for Thee, O God. My sould thrists for God, For the living God.” Psalm 42:1,2a
Dung Beetles I stepped right over him on my way up the road.
complete provision for hatching babies. And I
He moves in an amazingly straight line with agility,
thought they were doing such a ridiculous task!
strength, determination, and unbelievable speed considering the load he’s rolling along with him… but this time a question popped to the front of my mind: “WHY does he do this STRANGE thing of pushing dung around? And WHY does he seem so determined and focused on WHATEVER his goal really is (if there is one)?” So, while I was basking in my own humanness and feeling really thankful that I don’t mindlessly push dung around all day, I had to find out about this little guy. Turns out that dung beetles are found almost all over the world, except Antarctica. And these “rollers” roll their treasured dung until they find soft soil where they can bury it: the dung is their very lifeline – they suck the nutrients and liquid out of it, and they also make it into their brooding ball (the female lays her eggs inside it). Dung beetles don’t even need to eat or drink anything else because
– Wait…there’s more: They follow a straight line despite all obstacles; scientists believe some even use polarization in moonlight for orienteering, and they are usually seen moving quickly so other beetles won’t be able to steal their treasured ball. If you look up dung beetles in Chinese medicine, you’ll find they are highly recommended for curing several diseases. I’m not so sure about that, but the humble dung beetle happens to save the U.S. cattle industry an estimated $380 million each year by burying livestock feces! Some developing countries even import dung beetles into their areas in order to improve hygiene – that’s astonishing news to me! So, while people like me are walking around belittling the dung beetle and his task, he just keeps doing his job with record determination. His job is important in God’s world, even if none of us acknowledge it.
every nutrient they need is found in the dung! They lay their eggs in the ball because the ball provides
Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through
Blessed be the God and Father of our
our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my precious one, be
Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us
steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work
with every spiritual blessing in the
of the Lord, knowing that nothing you do for Him is
heavenly lplaces in Christ.
a waterof time or effort.
Ephesians 1:3
I Corinthians 15:57-58
For we are His workmanship, As the deer created pantsinfor Christ the water Jesus brooks,for good works, which God prepared So my soul beforehand pants for Thee, so thatOwe God. would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
My sould thrists for God, For the living God.� Psalm 42:1,2a
I want to remember this seemingly insignificant creature: When I think my task doesn’t amount to much, when I feel like I might as well have been pushing dung around all day, or when it seems like no one appreciates what I’m doing, I’m going to remember the little dung beetle and his steadfastness. I should be so difficult to thwart from what I know in my heart is truly important. And, just like that little dung beetle and his ball full of nutrients, when I’m doing the work I’m commissioned to do, I will have everything I really need. God has already seen to it!
steadfastness... When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth. Genesis 9:16
Eagles
soar...
Perched high among the twisted branches of ever-changing circumstances I wait; Listening, watching for just the time Your Voice of Wind bids me to climb and I wait. Alone in stillness, vision clears, Now seeing things I’ve missed for years, I wait. Leaves rustle, they begin to blow On rising drafts from far below and I wait; The warmth of Your Wind, my source of power, I spread my wingsthis the hour. And I soar.
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.
Isaiah 40:28-31
The Porcupine
These clumsy looking fellas saunter across the road and the fields like they’re a harmless friend. They’re so crazy cute from a distance. But, as our dogs quickly found out, it is simply not so. Get too close and those quills will be imbedded in your very face. More than once we’ve had to get out the pliers and pry those piercing arrows out of our whimpering dogs’ faces (mainly around their eyes and mouth). They bleed for awhile, it scabs over, heals, and scars.
I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world,
Look at the birds of the air, that
but to keep them from the evil one.
they do not sow, neither do they
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the
reap, or gather into barns, and
world. Sanctify them in the truth;
yet your heavenly Father feeds
Thy word is truth.
them. Are you not worth uch
John 17:15-17
more than they? Matthew 6:26
Lord, soften me so that I’m not a porcupine. I want to think I’m nurturing, and certainly harmless, but my needles often pierce others very deeply … I don’t want to admit it, but I have an abundance of quills; it’s like they reproduce beneath the surface of my self-control! I usually don’t even acknowledge their existence, but when nose to nose with adversity, they jump right out there. Right in the face of someone I really do love. That’s part of the problem: I instinctively send the barbs out to the closest people. Change me, Father, into a reflection of You and Your deep compassion; Please, oh please, continue this process of sanctification. De-quill me for Your purposes.
sanctification... He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty... He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. Psalm 91:4
Hands... We get dirty around here…really dirty. Even if you don’t choose the Camp Eagle mud pit treatment, you’re going to get your feet and hands filthy if you’re out here long; and, it’s fun! Here we don’t own “winter clothes” and “summer clothes” – we simply have “camp clothes” and “town clothes.” We walk around camp after groups have left on Saturday and find randomly abandoned, mud-stained socks, shoes, shirts, hats, and whatever. The clothes most often don’t come clean either…no matter how much bleach or how much soaking. It’s like the caliche dirt and clay sink down into every crack, every thread, and dye things brown through and through. The man of our house tracks in deeply ground dirt after a long day at work… it’s part of life. The kids come back from caving with mud and grime ground into their very pores. After gardening, I can wash my hands, think they’re clean, and glance down an hour later to see that there’s still dirt under my nails and in those little cracks of my hands. We can have clean looking hands at a glance, but when we open them there are traces of the whole day’s activities in the crevices – and sometimes those traces stick for days!
There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven-
God speaks about our hands, our hands as those bowl-shaped hollowed out places, the palms of our hands where we hold or clutch things, hide things, and retain the spots and stains of things we’ve chosen to be busy with. He talks about how He sees what’s on the inside of our hands with His all-knowing eyes, and He does something about it: “Therefore (the psalmist says) the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.” (Ps. 18:24) God encourages us to fall on our knees and spread out our hands to God. Psalm24:3,4 says, “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart;” God instructs us that it’s going to take some washing to get these sin-stained hands clean enough to be lifted up in praise, worship, thanksgiving, and supplication. We have to wash away the iniquity, wash our hands in innocence, cleanse our hands with soap and water: that sounds like confession, reconciliation, and listening to the Holy Spirit’s instructions; and it’s a daily need because we get dirty every day. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts…” (James 4:6)
A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill, and a time to heal;
Hands...
Back in 2 Kings 9, Jezebel (infamous for her evil motives and wicked deeds) refused to repent over and over again. She was judged by being thrown to her death from her window. When they went to bury her body, it had been completely eaten by dogs – except for one thing: even the dogs wouldn’t eat the palms of Jezebel’s hands (verse 35)! What a horrible picture of the filthiness of grasping onto sin in unrepentance. In Isaiah, the Israelites were spreading out their hands in prayer while continuing to walk in sin, but God told them He would no longer listen: “So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you, Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.” (Is. 1:15) And then God told them what to do, and He used these verbs in verses 16 and 17: wash, remove, cease, learn, seek, reprove, defend, and plead. It takes intentional action on our part. But when we do wash our hands, when we humble ourselves in honesty before the One who sees and knows all, He promises to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness – what a miracle (1 John 1:9)! And we fall on our knees and spread out our hands to heaven, and He hears and answers. The God of the universe accepts our lifted hands as a precious sacrifice to Him. He cleanses, strengthens, and declares them holy – and we are blessed with true worship! “May my prayer be counted as incense before Thee; The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering.” (Ps. 141:2)
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance!
worship...
The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. Song of Solomon 2:12
The Sherpa Trek My favorite thing about the Sherpa trek is the view. As I meander (because I’m not athletic enough to do anything else) across the “balcones”, the balconylike cliffs, it’s incredibly peaceful to gaze out over the valley and the river below. But to me, the best view is much closer. It’s right next to my arms and legs. It’s discovering the endless textures, strange colors, and unique fossils in the rock ledge layers. It’s seeing the way the roots of trees from up on the cliff have, with time, broken through huge boulders, splitting right through them for the sake of life. It’s spying bright, tiny flowers sprouting and even blooming right on top of sheer rock.
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19
The Sherpa Trek It’s truly stunning: How can something pliable and comparatively soft like a root actually penetrate solid rock? And not just a little bit, but in huge dimensions and for great lengths. How does a seed grab hold on the rock face and burrow in, plant its tiny little roots into seemingly nothing, grow, and then bloom victoriously in the middle of nowhere? And how in the world does it get water up there?
rooted...
Father would You, for the sake of Your glory, root through the hard places and even the solid rock deep down within me that needs to be broken up in order to bring life; those places mostly out of sight, but never out of Your sight; those places I’ve hardened deliberately and those places that have hardened without my notice. Soften the soil of my heart so that I can receive your nourishment, and then grow my offshoot roots deep – so deep that I’m grounded firm in You and Your love when the storms beat against me. Nourish me with Your word and Your Spirit so that I thrive in the deserts of my life.
As the deer pants for the water brooks,So my soul pants for Thee, O God. My sould thrists for God, For the living God.” Psalm 42:1,2a
Bats
Ever bathe with a bat? This little Mexican Freetail bat decided to move into my bathroom when the drywall was torn off just above my tub. He hung upside down on a stud just above my left shoulder, and he wasn’t bothered by my close proximity in the least (I should probably have been concerned about rabies or something). I was fascinated and disgusted at the same time. The Mexican Freetail bats are highly valued by farmers around here: they are vitally important to the crops in the area, as they feast on thousands of moths every night. Many of the bats live in a large cave near us called the Devil’s Sinkhole. I’ve watched several million of them spiral up at dusk like a tornado and head southeast toward the moths that are attempting to consume crops. The bats don’t return until dawn, and then there’s another big show as they plummet into the cave to get some rest. It’s a 70 mile trip every night for supper.
The bats have what scientists have termed “nursery” caves where they keep their young pups all together. The adult bats have their own community cave, but are able to go to the nursery and navigate straight to their own little pup every feeding time without any problem. That’s unbelievable when you consider there are a few million babies, and they’re all hanging there upside down, with as many as 100 of them to a single square foot of ceiling space! Plus, they all look alike!
Pups have an instinctual tenacious clinging response, using their large feet and thumbs to hold on to walls and their tiny incisor teeth to cling to mothers or other bats. It has been reported that, during research, when a single baby was removed from a cave wall, as many as 15 could be pulled off as each pup clung to the next.
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherely love; give preference to one another in honor; Romans 12:9-10
tenacity...
As believers, do we cling tenaciously to the things of the Lord and the shelter He offers us, or are we easily drawn away by the things of this world? Really now, how tenacious are we? When something or someone is trying to pull one of our brothers or sisters away, where are we? Do we have a close enough relationship to even know when that’s happening? Do we as believers cling in such a strong way that Satan knows we will hang on to truth and to each other no matter what? If he’s out to bring one of us down, will he have to wrangle with 15 of us in the matter? May we all be just a little more batty!
ock Cleft of the R
Moses asked the Lord if He would show him His glory. So, God said there was a place nearby where he could stand on a rock...God would put Moses in the cleft of the rock, and then cover him with His hand. While God was passing by Moses had to be “hidden in the cleft of the rock.” Even though God’s hand was covering Moses, still all God’s goodness passed by him and He declared His own name, the LORD Jehovah!
And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. Exodus 33:19
After this, Moses received the second set of stone tablets on Mount Sinai, and the Lord passed by again. “And Jehovah passed by before him, and proclaimed, Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth; keeping lovingkindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin;” I’m in love with God’s own description of Himself! I want to hear it again and again.
Sometimes when we ask God to show us Himself, to reveal more of Himself to us, He answers by placing us in the cleft of a rock (which is not always comfortable), and He covers us with His protective hand . Then He does it – He gives us a taste of His glory, and we are left awestruck at His works and presence. I’m fascinated that, even after all God had done for Moses and the Israelites, Moses was still left longing for God to reveal more of Himself to Him. It’s like that with me - God reveals Himself, I stand amazed in Him, and I hunger for more. I’ll never conceive all He is, and still He continues to give me gracious glimpses of His glory and words of truth in pieces that I can take in. It’s His loving desire to reveal Himself, and with that taste of glory He lovingly compels us to seek more of Him.
awestruck...
My God...
As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with beholding thy form. Psalm 17:15
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock