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Crossing the Bar
by Cheryl Walz
Psa. 36:8
They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your
house,
And You give them drink from the
river
of Your
pleasures.
Our family is now positioned at the mouth of the
Rogue River
in Gold Beach, Oregon. We erected the tent as a donation for the use of
the Curry County Hospice Annual Flea Market Sale. It was a huge success,
as it generated $57,000 for use of end of life care through Hospice
services in the county. Along with assisting when we could, we were very
content with the location of our home for a few weeks!
What a lovely and blessed place to be, observing the ebbing
and flowing of the tides’ effect upon the river. As the heavier salt water
of the
Pacific Ocean washes into the bay, it creates a
countercurrent wedge below the lighter less dense fresh water of the
river. This forms an estuary, which is a highly productive ecosytem,
producing ½ of the living matter of the world’s oceans.
An estuary is a sanctuary for both freshwater and marine
animal life, providing ½ to 2/3 of the 3 million tons of the world’s
harvest of fish and shellfish. As with a countercurrent of fresh vs salt
water, there is also a counter productivity in the fishing industry of the
estuary called seals, sea lions, and water fowl of pelicans, seagulls, and
cormorants.
We observe the strange twist of the tugging of life and
death right off our “patio” on the banks of the river. Being in the midst
of the battle of fish vs fisherman, fish vs seals and sea lions, fish vs
fowl, man vs seals and sea lions, man vs ocean…… who shall be declared the
victor?
Psa. 36:8
They are
abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house,
And You give them drink from the
river
of Your
pleasures.
Psa. 46:4 There is a
river
whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
The river wins in the long run, for it remains. All living
organisms eventually experience death. The Creator of the Universe
established the rivers, which are teeming with life of His order, to
extend through time. Drought may come when the river dries up, but
eventually it will return, bringing life and fun opportunities for
families together. What man does not receive joy from the rivers? Some day
we will each live by the pure river of water of life, clear as crystal,
proceeding from the throne of God and of the lamb, if we endure to the
end.
Is. 48:18 Oh, that
you had heeded My commandments!
Then your peace would have been like a
river,
And your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
This estuary, where the river meets the ocean,
prophetically speaking, has become the bay of transition to us, where the
Lord is refining and purifying us for further service in His kingdom. We
are as the fresh water, peacefully moving along, but the Bible tells us to
be the salt of the earth. So we come to the place where the fresh meets
the salty, the bay of transition, and we strive with the good and evil
within us….. the tug of war begins.
Do you feel as though this is happening to you? Remember,
the estuary is a highly productive place; even though the purifying, is
difficult, it is also very lucrative. It is the separation of the old man
from the new, a process we must periodically experience in order to grow
deeper into maturity in Christ. Neither the river nor the bay is the end
of the line, for in due course, the water must reach the vast ocean.
Isa. 33:7
He gathereth the waters of the
sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in
storehouses
As the brackish waters of the bay prepare to move out into
the ocean, there is a major obstacle. Due to the never-ending onslaught
of the waves, the ocean has produced a hindrance to its entrance called
The Bar. The sand is constantly washed in by the waves and piles up in a
heap right before entering the ocean waters. The exit from the bay has
narrowed into a situation like the passing through the eye of a needle.
This is the true danger zone. Have we let go of pains and sin in our lives
and been strengthened and enriched by the Lord enough in the bay of
transition to endure the rigors of the crossing? In the vastness of the
ocean, we meet the Lord Himself where we come into the depth of the
storehouses He has for us.
Crossing the Bar
by Alfred Lord Tennyson
Sunset and evening
star,
And one clear call for
me!
And may there be no
moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,
But such a tide as
moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and
foam,
When that which drew
from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.
Twilight and evening
bell,
And after that the
dark!
And may there be no
sadness of farewell,
When I embark;
For tho' from out our
bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me
far,
I hope to see my Pilot
face to face
When I have crost the
bar.
In the vastness of the ocean, we meet the Lord Himself
where we come into the depth of the storehouses He has for us.
Matt.
7:13
¶
“Enter by
the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to
destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
Matt.
7:14
Because
narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there
are few who find it.
Even though the gate is narrow, we do want to find it and
enter through it .
Don’t be discouraged! The Lord knows the time required in the bay
of transition, so that we may be prepared for the crossing over into the
great adventure of life in the ocean. Once we’re ready, we will find
fulfillment in the destiny He has for us in this season! God has us under
his wings all the while. We have learned that there are many transitional
times throughout the course of our lives. Be encouraged! Note: the prefix
en- means- to provide
with, so ask of the Lord for His courage and at the same time
believe you possess it. He is training us in intimacy
with Him. We must hear
His voice in these last days!
This is not the end, but only the beginning. Old things
must pass away so that all things can become new. Cleansing and sacrifice
come with any encounter with our Father, but this is one trip down the
river we don’t want to miss….. So enjoy your sanctuary of the estuary,
for soon you’ll be riding the high waves of righteousness of the open
seas.
Psa. 72:8 He shall have
dominion also from
sea to sea, and from the river
unto the ends of the earth.
August
2008
Cheryl Walz |
