Current

When I was a kid, my parents had a lot on Spring River, and we would go down there a couple of times per summer to camp out. Spring River is a beautiful "cold" river in North Arkansas, and I have fond memories of my time on that river. As I look back on those times, I can relive in my mind the times we "floated" the river in a canoe, and I remember if you wanted to get anywhere, you needed to stay in the current. If you didn't stay in the current, you might end up in eddy water, and eddy water is a circular, swirling current of fluid (like water or air) that moves against the main flow, often creating a whirlpool or pocket of reverse current.

When we started out on a float down the river, there were falls that sometimes were almost four feet tall, and to get over those falls, you would need to hit a groove in the channel, and getting up speed would ensure you would handle the drop without getting stuck in the middle and flipping over. A little upriver from our lot was one of the tall falls that many navigated in error, and so many would flip over, and they would lose their gear, and then just keep going instead of stopping and looking for things like sunglasses, keys, or other small things. It was easy to get numerous old sunglasses off the river bottom, and I had a good supply after diving in to get them.

I always wondered why these people would not stay in the heart of the current when warned of the upcoming falls. Christians are kind of like those people in that God gives us complete instructions on how to navigate the current of our lives, and instead of staying "in the flow", we drift into the "eddy water" and not only quit moving forward, but begin to move backward, and the current is lost. We can sometimes give the appearance that we are against the current of the gospel by how we plan the ministry at hand. Once in the eddy water, we get disgusted with the effort we think it takes to get back in the center of the current, and we just give up!! NEVER GIVE UP!!

The current is always close by, and when you commit, you are back in the flow again, and God truly does a great work in your life again. This is all done with a true faith walk that trusts God to go ahead of you, guiding you into the fast-moving current of the Spirit-filled life. You will encounter plenty of people who will doubt the current, and they will be happy in the eddy water, but don't let them talk you into complacency, keep paddling forward, and the current will assist you as you move. Maybe you had a horrible experience on the "falls," and you have become disillusioned about even going on the river. The enemy wants you to feel that way, but you resist those thoughts and let God stir your hearts to right yourself and get back in the boat and get back in the current, moving forward as the Spirit leads.

The current is the Holy Spirit^{, and when we ride in that current,} God leads when we pray.

Ephesians 6:¹⁸ With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints. God also gives us direction when we are in the current. James 1:5: "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

God also gives us weapons to paddle more effectively and handle the snakes on the river.

2 Corinthians 10:⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. God also rewards the desire to stay in the current, and the rewards are precious. 2 Timothy 4: ⁸ From now on, the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance.

Don't just think about the current or dream about the current; start paddling toward that current by getting into the Word of God, and He will give you the boat and the paddle, and then set you on your new course, which is your faith walk. Paddle and say to the eddy water, "Not this time." I'm staying with the current until the end!! Then you will be moving on the wonderful, strong current God has supplied for all who come to Him.

The Pilgrimage Continues,

David Warren