The Power of Yielding

He builds His lofty palace in the heavens and sets its foundation on the earth; He calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land- the Lord is His name. 

Amos 9:6

Nearly 6 million cubic feet of water careens over the edge to the boulders below giving the iconic scenery of Niagra Falls both its beauty and energy. There are actually two falls as the Niagra river splits around Goat Island creating waterfalls on both the Canadian and American sides. The force of the water is so great that the crest of the falls has receded nearly 7 miles from where it first began.

When we were there last year to celebrate our 25th anniversary, we took a boat ride to the base. We could feel the sound and force of the falling water resonating through our bodies. It was breathtaking.

Waterfalls are not alone in molding our landscape. The might of waves shape the coastlines of our planet from the shores of east Africa to the coast of California. The vigor of rivers carves canyons as vast as the Grand Canyons of the Colorado River in the United States to the Great Canyon of Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet. Yet with all the influence water has to transform the environment, it is powerless by itself. The source of its strength is simply that it yields completely to gravity. As a result, it can do great things.

There is a greater source of power in the world than gravity, the One who formed it all. Yet often we operate as if we were the source of strength for our lives and for the tasks God has called us to. Living a yielded life is living a life in obedience to God. Jesus provided us with a perfect model of this level of obedience. By emulating the nature of water we become more Christ-like and better tools for the kingdom. God is more concerned with our willingness than our ability. What He calls you to, He will equip you for.



Message for the journey:

Imagine the change we could affect on the world around us if we, like water, fully yielded and let God's power work through us.

©Ann Wilds 2011

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