Trust in the Stream

[This is why I love Gordon Cosby of Washington, D.C.'s Church of the Saviour. He may be in his 90s, but he truly gets it. Truly and deeply. -A]

"There is a river, whose streams gladden the city of God..." (Psalm 46:4).

The stream flowing through our lives is from eternity to eternity. It is artesian. It is totally adequate. Everything we need is borne by that stream. Its origin is the realm beyond, and it carries infinite resources. In this space-time realm, conditioned as we are, the stream can seem to be a trickle. It seems puny against the drugs we're battling, against the divisions among us or the power of greed that fuels our economy.

When we're up against all the world's needs and lacks--the way we perceive life--the stream seems inadequate. But in fact, it is a powerful, surging, cleansing tide that purifies all it touches. It is a grace torrent. It flows irrespective of merit. It carries everything that a human being has ever needed--and could ever want. Whatever we need will flow by at just the opportune moment. Our problem is that we're not attuned to the stream. We don't see it. We're not even looking in the river's direction.

But when we wait in expectancy, looking at the stream and then recognizing what we need as it floats by, we simply reach out and take the gift. It's an effortless way of living. Usually we're not attuned to effortlessness. We're too busy striving. We're holding forth and carrying on and trying to reach our goals. The wisdom of the stream is the opposite of this. What I'm talking about is moving from a conceptual awareness of God's care--the idea of God's providence--to trusting the flow of that stream that carries everything we need and will bring it at just the opportune moment.

[Read the rest of this sermon at Inward/Outward.]

Gordon Cosby, along with his wife Mary, established The Church of the Saviour in 1947. In this, his 93rd year of life, he still offers his wisdom and vision to the community. Audio versions of his sermons can be downloaded at Tell the Word. (Click on "Search the Word.")

Source: Sermon (June 11 1989)