Ever-flowing water (springs, brooks, creeks, streams, rivers) can be refreshing. Watch and listen to this stream of crystal clear water.
When the creek was viewed from another angle, there were sparkles above the water attesting to its purity. Praise God for helping me to capture these sparkles in this video.
A reason that we are refreshed from sparkling and ever-flowing water maybe that it is a metaphor for the ever-present workings of God and Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The sparkles can be seen as reminders of God’s grace in the ever-flowing water of life.
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
The river of the water of life has God in the midst of her.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.
The continuous flowing of God’s wondrous works is the water of life: goodness, righteousness, steadfast love, mercy, power, might, dominion, kindness, nearness and saving preservation (Psalm 145). From righteousness one experiences peace, quietness, and trust forever (Isaiah 32:17). Praise God’s name forever and ever.
We all need this living water, yet in our busy doings we forget God and get caught up in the things of the world. We need to be uncomfortable being outside the stream of living water and crave for Jesus in it (Word, truth, wisdom).
The American Dipper provides a picture of this craving and jumping into the water of life and taking in its goodness. The bird is uncomfortable outside of the stream, bopping up and down until it dips into it. Watch this video clip an catch the vision.
The ever-flowing water of life also flows through believers just like Jesus said in John 7. The water flowing through us is a witness to others as fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control).
... Jesus stood up and cried out, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flower rivers of living water' ... the Spirit ... .
The photographs and videos of this post came from a hike I took on September ninth, the first anniversary of an unusually early winter storm that stripped a forest bare in the Jim Creek valley, while also helping to put out the largest forest fires in Colorado history. Today is the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York City and in Washington DC. These events were a wake-up call to repent of our sins and exalt God.
Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth. ... Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"
There were much worst desolations in the past because of sin (Genesis 6: 11-13).
In the midst of the desolations on the earth, God’s lets His people know that He is always with them. He caused a cross shape to be displayed in the rubble of the twin towers. He caused a renewed abundance of plants and creatures in the Jim Creek valley. I hope you are blessed by seeing God’s creatures and plants that He showed me on my hike.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, through the mountains tremble at its swelling.
Wildflowers, birds, butterflies, berries and parts of the forest survived the previous year’s storm. Squirrels and Pikas chattered at me. Here were some of my favorite captures from the Jim Creek Valley in order of first to last.
Golden Eagle looking over Jim Creek, CO
Milbert's Tortoiseshell butterfly
Harebell wildflowers
Dorcas Copper butterfly
Grouse Whortleberry
Pine Squirrel
Gooseberry
Jacobs Ladder wildflower
Monkeyflower
Twisted Gentian (Gentianopsis barbellata)
Pika
Alpine Spring Beauty
Holm's Ragwort
Bearberry leaves in fall colors
Lichen-covered rock
Clark's Nutcracker
Queen's Crown wildflowers
Queen's Crown in fall color
Shasta Blue butterfly
Alpine Paintbrush
Mead's Sulphur butterfly
Trees that survived the storm
Fringed Gentian (Gentianopsis thermalis)
Fall colors
Heartleaf Arnica
One of about 30 American Robins among the downed trees
Bull Elk at Twilight, 7:45 PM
My soul leapt with joy when I read this tribute to our Creator.You have been given a gift to see the deep things of God through your Lens and your observational, insightful words. I am always blessed by your creation speech writing’s.Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Noelia for your encouragement. Sunday the sermon was on the same topic of life. I love it when we see the Holy Spirit at work.