Let The River Run

A few years ago, I had the privilege of attending a conference with Fr. Richard Rohr, who had just published his seminal book The Universal Christ.  It was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life, to be honest. 

Fr. Richard employs the most beautiful ways of thinking and speaking about God.  It's clear that he is a mystic, in touch with a God-reality that most of us just never seem to grasp.  If you haven't read any of Fr. Richard's work, I highly recommend that you do so. 

Perhaps in your reading, you will discover as I did how Fr. Richard loves to imagine the Spirit of God in the world as a river flowing in us and through us, carrying us, lifting us up, drawing us ever closer to our best and truest purposes.  

I've often imagined the river of the Spirit in terms of energy that flows in us and between us and others.  This same flow ultimately connects us to God and when we are open to the flow, we experience more of God in the world than we ever thought possible. 

The author of the book of James quoted a passage from the Hebrew Scriptures when he wrote:  

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

The author of the ancient text was obviously working with some imagery from his own first-century context imagining God high above in the heavens where the stars shine.  

But the part I'm focusing on here has to do with "every good and perfect gift" coming from God---gifts that flow to us through the power of the Spirit.  

Here's something interesting that you should know about the flow, and the giving of gifts through the power of the Spirit of God, a God whose essence of Love and Generosity never changes, never wavers... 

Every good thing that you've been given in your life---all the very best parts of who you are... your love... your hope... your desire to share... your kindness... your joy... your peace---all of it flows to you from God.  

And the way that you are created to respond is to let those best parts, those good gifts flow through you and out into the world to others.  

Sadly, far too many of us decide to hold on to all of those good gifts because we think that if we let them flow through us out into the world that they won't be replenished.  

But the way experience more of God and more of who we truly are is by keeping the flow open.  I read a wonderful anonymous quote the other day and wrote it down to share it: 

The giver is only a channel for the gifts he has received from God.  He cannot hoard or withhold them without blocking the channel. 

Keep the channels open today for the Spirit of God to flow through you.  Share your gifts.  Know that the gifts of God to you will never run out.  There will always be enough for you... for the world... for us all. 

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all now and forever Amen.  

Postscript:  Dear Readers, I'll be taking a short break for the rest of this week, but will be back in the saddle on Monday!