SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
12/02/2004
My Worship Time Focus: Inside the New Jerusalem
Bible Reading &
Meditation Reference: Revelation 22:1-2
Message of the verse: “1 ¶
Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming
from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2
in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of
life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the
leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”
Revelations
is somewhat a unique book, in that there are images of what life will be like
in the future with the Lord and also comfort and hope for the life that is live
on this earth during the Church age.
Verse one of chapter 22 speaks of a river of life that is clear as
crystal and it comes from the throne of God and of the Lamb and verse two goes
on to give more information about this river and where it flows and then talks
about the trees that grow on both sides of it.
These trees that are nourished by this river produce twelve different
kinds of fruit, one per month, and also the leaves are used for the healing of
the nations. (I don’t think people will
be sick, because there is now sin, but the Greek word from where healing is
translated here we also get the word “therapeutic,” so this could mean that
these leaves somehow enrich the lives of those there.
Now I would
like to make an application for what this verse could be about as I apply it to
life in the 21st century of the Church age.
There are times in the Scriptures when water is a reference to the Holy
Spirit and also the Holy Spirit is said to come from the Father and also from
the Lord Jesus Christ and it is the Holy Spirit who produces fruit in the lives
of believers, so I don’t think that it is stretching these two verses to think
of them in this way.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: As I think about these verses in the way that
I just wrote about them, it makes me realize that the things in my life that
are pleasing to the Lord must come through the power of His Holy Spirit who
lives in me, who teaches me, and who makes God’s Word make sense to me, as He
opens my mind to understand the things of His Word. I fear that there are far too many times in
my life when I am relying upon myself to live the Christian life and not
relying on the Holy Spirit to live His life through me. I am having a very difficult time dealing
with all of the trials that the Lord is sending me through, and I know that I
have an answer to how I would like to see them end, but I also realize that the
Lord has a perfect plan, and is doing this for my good and not to harm me, but
sometime the distress of all of this seems to get the best of me.
The Word of God has again brought refreshment to my soul as
I read and study His Word this morning.
My Steps of Faith
Today: I really need to have the
Holy Spirit in control of my life to lead me and to guide me throughout this
day and every day that I have left on this earth.
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