Far Mightier than COVID-19: The River Inside of You

Needing some refreshing for your spirit? It’s audio devo day! Why not try listening to today’s devotional instead of reading it? Close your eyes and drink deeply as rivers of living water wash over you:

 

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“There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God…” (Ps. 46:4, NKJV).

This morning, my seven-year-old, Lily, danced into my room with her hands in the air. In a cheerful voice, she exclaimed, “It’s a happy, happy, happy day! I’m full of peace!”

Is she out of touch with reality? No. She well knows about the Coronavirus. It has directly affected her. Both her daddy and her older sister are stranded in other parts of Peru, unable to come home to us for now. Nationwide, we are on lockdown, not allowed to leave our houses. All travel is frozen. Yes, this virus has even made it here to the depths of the Amazon Jungle. There are confirmed cases in our city of Iquitos. For the time being, police are everywhere, enforcing our mandated isolation. Lily can’t even walk freely down the block to her grandparents’ house, which usually is a regular, cherished part of her life.

And yet, my child is full of joy and peace. I want to suggest to you, my precious friend, that the same abundant provision she is enjoying is available to you today.

I want to read this Scripture to you. I would love for you to close your eyes and let Holy Spirit’s words go deep into the depths of you:

“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling.

Selah

There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.”

(Ps. 46:1-5, NKJV).

What is this Scripture revealing to us? There is a river. Inside of you, there is a river. You are the tabernacle of the Holy Spirit. I’m reminded of a beautiful story I read this week. Jesus invited the Samaritan woman, just like He invites you and me, to ask Him for a drink. When we take Him up on this invitation, this promise of His kicks into motion for us:

“Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14, NKJV).

Dear one, we are not just talking about a few sips of water to wet your mouth in the desert. This is an abundant spring Jesus is describing for us. In Him, there is always abundance. You, the tabernacle of the Holy Spirit, have an abundance of living water available to you right now. Wherever His living water goes, everything lives. Everything comes to life. Everything flourishes. Peace and joy abound. This is what He is offering you, this very moment!

Listen with your heart. This river shall make glad the city of God. Even when the waters around us are roaring and the mountains seems to be shaken to pieces, God Himself is with us. He is our refuge and strength. He will help us at the break of dawn. That phrase means, at the very start of every day! Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow is yours, dear one, as you drink from the river that Jesus holds forth to you. And it’s not only strength and stamina to persevere that He gives you and me, but actual joy!

Do you see it there? “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God.” What is the context? Sunny days and tranquil circumstances? On the contrary. In this psalm, we are surrounded by roaring waters and trembling mountains. Naturally scary circumstances. The earth herself seems to be falling apart. Chunks of mountaintops are crashing into the ocean.

And yet, there it is. A river making us glad. Glad. Lily has it right! There is not only supernatural peace, but abundant joy available to you and me right now. How is this possible? It’s entirely supernatural. It has nothing to do with what’s happening around us. It has everything to do with Who is on the inside of us.

We are literally so much bigger on the inside than we are on the outside. Without question, we have everything we need to meet the current challenges we are facing. It’s all, absolutely all, contained in that river that springs up from inside of us. It’s Him, dear one. He is in you. The limitless One is inside of you! The God of all Comfort! The God of Peace, the God of Hope, the God who gives Encouragement! Greater, far, far, far greater, is the One who is you than anything happening around you!

So, let’s take up Jesus on His invitation. Let’s ask Him for a drink today – and let’s do it in the way He prescribed, just like a child. Just like Lily. He says these words from Mark to your spirit today, “‘Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.’ And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them” (Mark 10:15-16, NKJV).

Go ahead. You have permission to just be His little one today. Close your eyes again and feel him taking Him up in His arms. Lay your head on His strong chest. He is laying His gentle hands on you and blessing you. He is blessing you with peace that transcends all understanding. Supernatural peace that will protect your thoughts and emotions today. As you linger, He is giving you drink from His river of delights. Drink deeply with your spirit. In this river is everything you need, dear child. He’s got this. He’s got you. He’s got your family. He’s got your future. He’s got all of us in His big, beautiful hands.

God is in the midst of you. You will not be moved. He will help you at the break of day… every single one of these days until this turbulent time has passed. You will see. His river springing up inside of you will never, ever run dry. Every day in the months to come, you will have everything you need.

Listen now, to some concluding words from this same beautiful psalm:

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Ps. 46:10, NKJV).

He is having His way, dear one. Be still.