The River of the Water of Life

Isn’t this a beautiful image of water from Revelation:  Rev. 22:1 says “the river of the water of life is as clear as crystal flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb,"?  That word picture makes me thirsty for God’s water of life. It makes me feel sticky and sweaty, and my skin wants to jump right into the river and get washed clean.  I can just feel the pleasantly cool current of the heavenly river washing over me.

But I become agitated when I keep on reading in Revelation.  Rev. 22:14 says: "Blessed are those who wash their robes that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates of the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and every one who loves and practice falsehood.”  I squirm when I read that, because I confess I occasionally practice falsehood, even though I don’t intend to.  While I try to stay away from magic arts, I tolerate friends talking about the psychics they visited.  If worrying about the opinions of other people -- and making their opinions about my behavior more important than God’s --  is idolatry, then I am guilty.  If I turn to the god of shopping to soothe my emotional aches, instead of my heavenly Father, then idolater I may be. And I won’t even go to my inner mind that might reflect thoughts – both immoral and murderous – that I have had throughout my life.

Lord help me.  I don’t want to be kept outside your gates, as much as I like dogs. I thirst for that water of life.  Please forgive my thoughts and behaviors, and wash me clean in your holy river.