Lenten Post February 28th

I was eating my lunch and surfing through some music on my iPod and this song from (Minnesota) Peter Mayer struck a chord with me. It fittingly follows what Julian said in Wednesday's post ... let God have you.

From his album Midwinter

God is a River

In the ever-shifting water of the river of this life
I was swimming, seeking comfort; I was wrestling waves to find
A boulder I could cling to, a stone to hold me fast
Where I might let the fretful water of this river ‘round me pass

And so I found an anchor, a blessed resting place
A trusty rock I called my savior, for there I would be safe
From the river and its dangers, and I proclaimed my rock divine
And I prayed to it “protect me” and the rock replied

CHORUS: God is a river, not just a stone
God is a wild, raging rapids
And a slow, meandering flow
God is a deep and narrow passage
And a peaceful, sandy shoal
God is the river, swimmer
So let go

Still I clung to my rock tightly with conviction in my arms
Never looking at the stream to keep my mind from thoughts of harm
But the river kept on coming, kept on tugging at my legs
Till at last my fingers faltered, and I was swept away
So I’m going with the flow now, these relentless twists and bends
Acclimating to the motion, and a sense of being led
And this river’s like my body now, it carries me along
Through the ever-changing scenes and by the rocks that sing this song

CHORUS: God is the river, swimmer So let go

I'm really taken with the metaphor of the rock in this song. Sometimes we think of the church as a rock or boulder to cling to. It goes deeper than that too. He's also suggesting that the resting place is our savior, Jesus. But as Peter says, and the boulder reminds us, God is much more than all that. If we cling too tightly we miss where God is going to carry us. And besides, even if you cling tightly, God IS going to carry you away anyway! So, let go. Get carried away ...... let God have you.

Peace,
Jeff