The Columbia River of God's Faithfulness

(Eastern Oregon: 1/8/2010) Coming into Oregon from the east always makes me think of Lewis and Clark and the Corp of Discovery. I wonder how much of the country they explored on their great adventure has really changed since 1804-06. They rode the river, we rode the interstate and crossed the Snake River in Idaho about 7 times before negotiating the ascent of the Blue Mountains on the boarder of Idaho-Oregon. As you come down from the mountains the terrain clearly changes after 25 miles or so and there is a distinct transition of entering the majestic Columbia River gorge. Joy was doing a crossword puzzle and I was enjoying the glorious scenery and anticipating our first view of the historic river. Over the years of traveling with the kids we realized they got antsy the longer they were in the car and the closer we got to our destination. As a way of occupying them we would ask them to look for something that was ahead on our route. When we lived in Little Rock, AR and visited Grandma and Grandpa Vinyard in Plano, TX we would challenge the girls to see "who can see the water tower first"; the objective being a large water tower just outside town with Plano and a Texas star painted on it. On the to way to the Oregon coast when we lived here before we said, "see who can see the ocean first". With little more than 3 hours of driving left on the end of our 7 day journey I played the game with myself with keen anticipation for the first view of the Columbia. Thinking of the mighty river led me to think about the imagery of water and rivers in the Bible and Christian music and writing. The strong, steady,and certain flowing of a river particularly images God's power and faithfulness. As I thought about God's faithfulness to us over the past 8 months of having our house on the market, the past 7 years of life Suffolk, VA and closing out my Air Force career, and the 17 years since we have been away from our beloved Oregon...the River came into view. "I see the river first", I said to Joy. Just then her phone rang. For some reason I looked at the clock; it was 8:05 a.m. Pacific Time, 11:05 Eastern Time Friday 8 January 2010. The day of the closing on the sale of our house. We had signed a power of attorney over to our realtor Maggi Davis, and as Joy talked I realized it was Maggi calling telling us that the closing was complete, the paperwork was all signed and we were officially homeless! I had no sense of emptiness or loss, but really rather a sense of true closure and a profound and almost tangible feeling of peace. When Joy hung up from talking to Maggi I played another game with her we often play. I asked her what song she could think of with the word "river" in it. She immediately replied, "Like a River Glorious". All the while our truck's huge windshield is filled with a view of the mighty AND majestic Columbia River. "Like a river glorious is God's perfect peace, over all victorious in it's bright increase. Perfect yet it floweth perfect every day. Perfect yet it floweth deeper all the way." And the chorus: "Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blessed, finding as he promised perfect peace and rest." Great God exalting words on which to meditate while viewing the Columbia!
And then, as if the Lord added an exclamation point to these events and thoughts what hymn would we sing on Sunday morning when we worshipped at Newberg Friends Church with John and Erin? ...Like a River Glorious!!