Finding God in a Waterfall

Have you ever just sat by a waterfall and pondered the power?   As a part of my spiritual retreat day, I visited the waterfall in our little town.  I had chosen to try a new retreat strategy developed by eDot/GEM.  Nature draws me ever closer to God; therefore I requested a plan based on the natural world.

The original plan meant driving about an hour northeast of us to a grand waterfall, but the questionable weather led me to opt for the small fall in town.  Cold and damp surrounded me, but the question of how the waterfall reminds me of God’s provision and care kept me focused.  I recognized the absolute power of God, His outpourings of grace: the essence of life personified in the cascade.  The ability to hear and see the water gave me joy.  I chose a seat not far from the water, but more focused on the peaceful meandering of the stream just above the fall.  As I reflected on God’s grace I began to recognize small pools of quiet, while in other areas the water ran more swiftly.  How like God, this mixture of peace and power!

An evergreen tree reached its branches out over my head and reminding me, “His banner over me is love.”  The continuous flow of water drew me into a deeper understanding of how God continuously draws me to Himself.   Moving upstream from the fall connected my situation with Elijah’s experience of God-first the loud, wild wind, then the earthquake, and the fire.  I heard the roar and saw the power of the water, but then I sat, viewing the gentle quiet movement of the powerful stream.  God had called me to quietness, peace, and trust.

In that moment I was a peaceful pool.  God’s grace flows from me to those with whom I work, fellowship, and study German.  There were several smaller falls, but they had deep pools into which they pour.  Am I to be satisfied with being a small, yet deep, pool? And the debris, stuck behind rocks: some unwanted things God washes away, others He leaves for His purposes. 

Our river has many waterfalls, some man-made, some not. 

To me, they represent God’s pouring forth his grace and His Spirit.  In the same way, God’s grace and His Spirit are bountifully pouring forth His power, love and holiness in multitudes of ways, sometimes by the hand of man, but, mostly, mysteriously by God Who graciously gives His Presence to a sorrowing world.