Lead Me to the Water

June 20, 2016 by bluecottonmemory

Someone loved me
loved me enough
to take the time to lead me
lead me back to the door
of my father’s house

Like a run-away child gone missing,
My father, he pursued me
And brought me home
Right to the door
To the door of His home

Standing there watching,
I saw water flow
flow from below the threshold
Below the threshold
Of my father’s home
And the water, it scared me,
Panicked my heart
As though I would drown
And lose myself, my breath, my life

He knew I wasn’t quite ready
To step inside
To handle the water
So he brought me out
Brought me out
And led me around
led me around
to where the water trickled out
under the gaze of the rising son

and he measured
measured the unmeasurable
told me I was ready

gave me his hand
to lead me through the water,
through the water ankle-deep.

And I overcame
Overcame the fear
the fear of the Ankle-deep water

We paused and he measured more
Measured
the immeasurable
told me I was ready

And took my hand again,
To lead me
Lead me through the water
Through the knee-deep water.

And I overcame
overcame the fear
the fear of the knee-deep water.

On the river’s edge, he measured again
Measured the immeasurable
told me I was ready

And once again,
He led me
Led me through the water,
Through the waist deep water

And I overcame
overcame the fear
the fear of the waist-deep water.

On the river’s edge,
Where the water had risen
Too deep to pass through
Deep enough to swim in

He measured,
Measured the immeasurable
He looked at me,
looked at me with love
I told Him I was ready

I took His hand
For Him to lead me
Lead me
to immerse myself
in the river
in the over-my-head river water

And I overcame
overcame the fear
of giving myself fully
to the the Holy Spirit water

to let it carry me
carry me
over the threshold
over the threshold
home

taken from Ezekiel 47: 1-12

Please click to read the story behind the poem “Lead Me to the Water” : The Elephant in the Room

28 Responses

on April 28, 2012 at 10:40 am | Reply Wendy

What a lovely post. I must stop by Monday for the story behind the poem. Intrigued! Thank you for stopping by my blog today. It’s lovely to meet you. I am sure you will be blessed teaching your boys re: the sandals of peace. God bless you.
on April 28, 2012 at 11:25 am | Reply Tammy

Wonderful prose!! Will definitely be stopping by Monday. 🙂
on April 28, 2012 at 12:10 pm | Reply Lisa notes...

Beautiful! It reminds me of Isaiah 43

Isa 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
on April 28, 2012 at 2:28 pm | Reply I Live in an Antbed

And He gently continues to lead us deeper within Himself, and all it costs us is everything. Precious. 🙂 Thank you so much for linking up!! You asked about the button–on the left hand side is a sliding drawer tab that has says “button codes.” 🙂
on April 28, 2012 at 10:48 pm | Reply r.elliott

And I overcame overcame the fear of giving myself fully to the the Holy Spirit water to let it carry me carry me over the threshold home…i love this…the pictures and words are just beautiful…

Cookville…wow…travel past it all the time…I live south of Nashville…my daughter live in knoxville…and still have family in Kingsport.
- on April 28, 2012 at 10:52 pm | Reply bluecottonmemory
  
  You need to stop by for coffee on one of those trips!!
on April 28, 2012 at 11:51 pm | Reply Dianne - Bunny Trails

I love this. So beautifully written. 🙂
on April 28, 2012 at 11:55 pm | Reply Dolly

This is such a beautiful picture of how loving and how patient our Father God is as He leads us to overcome our fears little by little; your words resonated with me and your photos and painting are lovely…so grateful to know that God has wrapped his arms around your family with community…praying He continues to comfort and sustain you.
on April 28, 2012 at 11:57 pm | Reply Sharon O

SO BEAUTIFUL.
on April 29, 2012 at 11:21 am | Reply lynnmosher

I’ve always been intrigued by this passage of Scripture. Love it! Anxious to see the rest of the story!
on April 29, 2012 at 4:06 pm | Reply Lisa @besidestillwaters.blogspot

AH,h,h… tell us about the underwater photo. Wonderful reflections and color.
- on April 29, 2012 at 8:59 pm | Reply bluecottonmemory
  
  All my photos were taken on a beautiful day in the Great Smokey Mountains. We were on a journey to find a waterfall! I talk about the trip in “Love Letters from Shaddai” https://bluecottonmemory.wordpress.com/2012/03/10/love-letters-from-shaddai/. The reflections and colors were part of that Love Letter from Shaddai.
on April 29, 2012 at 8:57 pm | Reply Joanne Norton

I LOVED this! Had no perception that it was connected in any way to Ezekiel, and I’ve read that many times… in fact, will be reading that particular chapter in the morning on my schedule. The photos and the proses… really caught my attention… and I’m even tired, so wouldn’t have anticipated it. Thanks MUCH!
on April 29, 2012 at 9:32 pm | Reply Beth

I love the imagery you created here. I see vulnerability juxtaposed against God’s strength and protection. Beautiful!
on April 29, 2012 at 9:47 pm | Reply Chelle

This is beautiful! I can’t even pick out a part I like best because it’s all so good! I can’t wait for the story.
on April 30, 2012 at 4:05 am | Reply The Story Behind the Poem: The Elephant in the the Room « Blue Cotton Memory

[…] Comments « Lead Me to the Water […]
on May 1, 2012 at 12:53 am | Reply Laura Krokos

Beautiful!
on May 1, 2012 at 7:47 am | Reply Pamela

Ah…immersing myself in the Holy Spirit. I’m thankful He leads gently, allowing us to adjust to the water’s depth. Good thoughts, beautifully written, I’ve found here today.
on May 2, 2012 at 7:57 am | Reply Christina

I love how He gradually gives us more and more, as we need. Love this!
on May 2, 2012 at 12:02 pm | Reply Charlotte

Wow, this is beautiful. Thank you for sharing it.
Blessings,
Charlotte
on May 4, 2012 at 11:39 pm | Reply ljbmom

He knows when we are ready, doesn’t he? And his timing is perfect.

I love that picture of your toesies in the water. Beautiful.
on May 14, 2012 at 10:38 pm | Reply alisa

So beautiful. I love the repetition of words–it gives the poem such a wonderful flow! This is my fav line stanza:

He measured,
Measured the immeasurable
He looked at me,
looked at me with love
I told Him I was ready

I love how he measures the immeasurable in all of us!
on April 22, 2013 at 7:33 am | Reply alisahope

I love how you began with “someone” had to love you enough, love Jesus enough, to lead you to the water! And then you transitioned to Jesus leading you. What a beautiful and true illustration of how faith begins! Also enjoyed how the Holy Spirit is seen as the moving waters!
on April 23, 2013 at 8:44 am | Reply Kristin Hill Taylor

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
on April 23, 2013 at 9:13 am | Reply mia

Dear One
This is such a good analogy! It is nice when the words from Scripture becomes alive for one personally. Yes, we were not promised a life without trouble, but that He is with us, holding our hand all the way.
Blessings from Jen’s.
Mia
on July 9, 2013 at 5:53 pm | Reply Lidia

This is beautiful, dear ML. I love the Ezequiel passage that talks about the different levels of water that the Father wants to take us through! Love the way you share you heart, friend.
on September 9, 2013 at 9:43 pm | Reply alisonhector

This is truly beautiful. God is ever patient with us, going with us in the baby steps needed to grow fully in His grace. Awesome.
on January 14, 2016 at 9:53 pm | Reply whose I am | Blue Cotton Memory

[…] am loved by the one who led me to the water, who washed me clean in the ankle deep, waist deep, soul deep waters I am pursued and pulled in to […]