Sitting in the hot pools at silver twilight, all felt right. Everything seemed perfect. A light breeze blew across my wet skin, and lingering rays of daylight slanted across an umber hillside. Expectation seemed to drift downstream, heat blending in soft circles with the frigid Yellowstone River. Pearls of water collected on my shoulders, beckoning me to sink deeper into the warmth. I edged along the slippery boulders, my back against the cascade the entire time. In some spots the water came up to my chest, but in other places it only reached my ankles and I had to crawl on my knees. The hot, mineral water splashed down on slippery rocks, sprinkling across my face. At first, the intensity of the bubbling heat was overwhelming. I wanted to turn my face away from the sputtering, dancing beads. The heat took my breath away, carrying an uncertain sadness away with it.
It was more than the heat that took my breath away. I believe that there was a real presence in that space that was beyond me. I felt alive, which I haven’t felt in a long time.
Thank you Jesus for giving us life--abundant life.
Comments