in the river

For those sick of my recent infatuation with Pilgrim's Progress I offer you these words of comfort: tough. Ha! But in all reality, I rarely ever write my posts for a given audience other than myself. There are times, like birthdays, where I hope the special person reads what I write. Otherwise, my intent is and always has been writing to myself. Those who choose to chime in and more then welcome.

I heard the passage given below in a sermon a few years ago. I honestly don't remember exactly what text was expounded upon, but I remember the pastor quoting this. He did so with great passion and conviction. He even came to tears halfway through. It made me want to read the book in order to experience the part for myself. As I drew near to it, my mind went back to that particular Sunday. My heart grew excited while reading it. My search was well worth it.

"You must go through, [the river] or you cannot come at the gate...For you shall find it deeper or shallower as you believe in the King of the place..."

Christian began to sink, and, cried out to his good friend Hopeful.

"I sink in the deep waters; the billows go over my head; all the waves go over me!"

"Be of good cheer, my brother; I feel the bottom, and it is good."

"Ah! my friend, the sorrows of death have compassed me about: I shall not see the land that flows with milk and honey..."

Hopeful therefore here had much ado to keep his brother's head above water...Hopeful also would endeavor to comfort him, saying:

"Brother, I see the gate, and men standing by to receive us."

"It is you, it is you they wait for; you have been hopeful ever since I knew you."

"And so have you."

"Ah, brother, surely if I were right He would now arise to help me; but for my sins He hath brought me into the snare, and hath left me."

"My brother, you have quite forgot the text where it is said of the wicked: 'There are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm: they are not troubled as other men, neither are they plagued like other men.' These troubles and distresses that you go through in these waters are no sign that God hath forsaken you; but are sent to try you whether you will call to mind that which heretofore you have received of His goodness, and live upon Him in your distresses...Be of good cheer; Jesus Christ maketh thee whole."

And with that Christian break out with a loud voice,

"On, I see Him again! and He tells me: 'When thou passeth through waters, I will be with thee; and through rivers, they shall not overflow thee."

(Bunyan, John pp. 182-184)

I may have stated before that Samwise Gamgee is my favorite fictional character in all of literature. Hopeful may be a close second. We all need friends like him as we wade through the rivers we must cross. They don't offer words of their own intelligence, but those straight from the mouth of God. Only such words can open our eyes to see Him who awaits to help pull us to the other side.