Saturday's Scripture
Story for the Week
Ezekiel 47:1-12
The Temple and its River of Water
1 The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.
3 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. 4 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. 5 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. 6 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”
Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. 8 He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. 9 Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. 10 Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. 11 But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. 12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”
Pondering Point
This story is a vision that the prophet Ezekiel receives from God. You will read of a temple and running water. To supplement this story, keep in mind John 7:37-39 where He says, “’Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’ By this he meant the Spirit…” Both manifestations of God’s presence, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, are related to water. Ponder how this Holy Water is present in your life as you go through this story from the bible. And since we have been introducing Wild at Heart’s various prayers into our daily devotions, below is one more based on this story. It is called the River of Life prayer—adapted for us. Finish your devotional time with it.
Prayer for the Day
"Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit” — we love You God! We worship You! We give our hearts and lives to You in every way. You are our Life, Father, and there is no other. Jesus, You came that we might have Life. Romans says we reign in life through Your Life, Lord. And so we present our lives to You in a fresh way, to be filled with Your magnificent Life! We pray that the River of Life, the very Life of God, would flow through our lives in abundance. We pray the River of Life would flow through our homes and families; our work; our kingdoms. We pray that the River of Life would flow through the team and the work of Hope as a church and preschool in the world. Fill us, fill this mission, with Your inextinguishable Life, God! May Your abundant Life sweep away all death, and destruction, and everything set against us. We call forth Life—more life in us; more life in Hope as a ministry; more of the River of Life flowing through our work in the world. In the mighty Name of Life Himself, Jesus Christ, the risen Lord! All praise and glory to Him! Amen.