(extracted from Sunday Times 19/5/2013)Look at the picture above. Do you know that these are the leaves of ginger plants? There are about 3,000 species of gingers, of which only about 14 are sold in the market here. Does the intricate stunning vein patterns of these leaves make you wonder why they are so pretty? Do it resemble the main river and its tributaries?
Beautiful song about this river of life here.
Genesis has a river flowing from the Garden of Eden. Revelation ends with a river that flows from the throne of God.
And in the middle of the bible is the book of Ezek 47 that also talks about water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east. The water was flowing from the south side - from ankle deep in the beginning to knee and then to the waist until it was a river that Ezekiel could not cross. Rather one got to swim in it. And this was the vision that Ezekiel saw as in Rev 22. Great number of trees on each side of the river. And where the river flows, everything will live! And when it empties into the Sea, the water there become fresh! Wow! Desalination in its own miraculous ways!
We won't need to invest in R&D in Hyflux. Neither do we need to drink Newater (converted from the S#@*) Fishermen standing along the shore- with the fishing nets . There will be many kinds of fish - in large numbers too. Trees will bear fruit every month! Because the water from the sanctuary flows to them! Fruit as food and leaves for healing! Wow! Think about it!
Reflection
The awesome leaves of the ginger made me think of this awesome river of God. Now we can understand why many gingers are prized here for their medicinal properties, their many different applications for use in the dye industry, source of fibre and manufacture of paper and furniture. It has more than 4,000 aromatic compounds. Not only that , scientists have found that ginger can help with pain relief in arthritis and are now studying the potential anti-cancer properties and for treating liver and HIV. Well ,the leaves are for healing and no wonder the ginger leaves are so intricate and veins are like the river indeed!
Today is Pentacost Sunday.
This is the glory of the new covenant!
Let us jump into the River and embrace the fullness of the Spirit as in the vision of Ezekiel.
Like a young believer who first took the step of faith into the water , it may just be the ankle deep. But it is a good start. Walk on in faith . Be on our knees of prayer as we journey. Allow the power of the river to carry us on. Then start floating and allow the Holy Spirit to carry us and lead us on as we flow along. Not by our own efforts. By the might and power of His Holy Spirit. ( when we swim - we allow the water to carry us and not the other way round)
2 Cor 3: 17' Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" V18 and we, who with unveiled faces all relect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord , who is the Spirit.
Open source church? Let us not allow our minds to be made dull, for to this day, the same view remains when the old covenant is read.. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. (v14) The firewall is demolished once we know where the source of the river comes from. Let our streams made glad the city of God.
Since we have such a hope, we can be bold (v12)
V5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.
V6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant - not of the letter but of the Spirit ; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Choose wisely. Live wisely.
Rejoice and be glad!
P/s' The Aimgate saga has left a bitter taste in many mouths. The MND review report has been inked. Conflict of interest is now grey and debatable in eyes of some people who are the lawmakers or under the protection of the Act. It is the rule of law and rule by law argument once again. There is such a thing as searing of the conscience. God has given us a conscience (to know what is morally right from wrong generally) regardless of faith background. For those in Christ , we thank God for the remarkable work of the Holy Spirit given unto us once we believe on the Lord. And the Spirit of the living God is no longer written on the tablets of stone but on the tablets of human hearts. Above all - The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. Our elected MPs or appointed ministers of this country hold a position of great honour and responsibility. They have to know the mind of the people who elected them into their present position of power. They ought to represent the interests of the citizens. They ought to guard their hearts from becoming more attuned to the interests of of the party whom they belong than to those of whom had elected them into Parliament. Like Demas, he was seduced by things and lured by the appeal of the world and money (2 Tim 4:10) Can one still sleep soundly on the pillow? That is a hell of a question to ask?
