I love to watch programmes about nature when I can. There was a series recently about Earth’s Great Rivers on BBC. The film crews followed the course of three rivers The Mississippi, the Amazon and the Nile from source to sea. Each of these rivers provide water for the vegetation, crops, wild life and people that live along their banks. There is a ready supply for water and food for the inhabitants. They will never run dry, there is no famine or wilderness. The leaves of the trees and vegetation are always green.

I am reminded of Psalm 1 where I read, Blessed is the man who does not stand in the way of sinners, but his delight is in the law of God. He is like a tree planted by streams of living water, whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. In John
7 v 37 Jesus stood up and said If anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink and if he believes in me out of his belly will flow rivers of living water. The Holy Spirit is described in Revelation as a river that flows from the throne of God. On every side, trees are growing and their leaves are for the healing of the nations.

I was excited as I watched these great rivers influence all the lands they flowed through. Each river reminded me of the river in Revelation that flows from the throne of God. On every side are trees and their leaves are for the healing of the nations. When one receives the Baptism in the Holy Spirit he can be a river that touches others around him giving life and encouragement from God.

The River Nile is the longest river in the world. It is 4000 miles long. At one part of its path it spreads out into vast swamplands called the Sud. There is a ready supply of vegetation and water for the wild animals that live there. It is a big contrast to the open savanna lands that dry up in the hot seasons when vegetation and water is sparse, causing the wild animals to leave to find other pastures. In the savanna lands the elephant can’t travel very far to find food. They live on sparse vegetation from the leaves of trees and scrub, while waiting for the rains to come.

But in the Sud the elephants that live there are in heaven. There is a ready supply of green vegetation and water all the year round. They can spend time swimming and wallowing in the deep waters of the Nile instead of searching for food. Their trunks act as snorkels as they play in the water. There is no danger of the young drowning. Their bodies are bouyant. One elephant was lying back in the water kicking up his legs. This family of elephants were having a fun time together frolicking about in the deep. What a wonderful sight.c

This is a picture of abundance. There is plenty of food and water for all the wild life around the River Nile in the Sud. Large animals live together; the hippo, the elephant and the crocodile. When we trust God and let the Holy Spirit move in our lives we can live in abundance without famine. God will supply all our needs. And there will be fun times too.