My favorite line in the song, “Thirsting for your strength, will you stoop and carry me?” mimics the many times I have been afraid, confused and so weary all I wanted to do was crawl up in God’s lap, rest my head on him and let him hold me.  Do you ever think about God stooping down and carrying you? The Incarnation is the ultimate “stooping down” and by that manifestation of God, we are carried to salvation.

As I listened to the song, a few images from scripture came to mind.  The great stream in Ezekiel, Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan, and the water which flowed from Jesus’ side on the cross.

God’s Promise for Us

In chapter 47 of Ezekiel the LORD shows him the prophet waters flowing from around the temple and then leads him into the water until he can no longer stand.  Standing on the bank of the river, he sees fruit trees and is told that fish will be abundant; “Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.”  (Ez 47:9) That promise is for us as well.  When God’s love touches as, when we allow it to flow freely over us like water over the earth, we are renewed.

Jesus’ baptism is recorded in Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11 and Luke 3:21-27, all have in common a voice from heaven saying “you are my beloved son in whom I am well pleased” after Jesus is baptized.  God says the same thing about each of us.  We are his beloved daughter or son and our very being pleases him.

His love for us caused him to give us Jesus and Jesus dying on the Cross saved us.  His death gave us life. In John 19:34, a centurion pierces Jesus side to be sure he has died and blood and water flow out.  Even before the image of Divine Mercy became popular, this was looked at as a symbol of both Baptism and Eucharist.  The blood and water which flows from Jesus covers all of us in his love and mercy.  In Baptism we are cleansed of original sin and in the Eucharist we are refreshed and strengthened.

ReadEzekiel 47 and picture what Ezekiel sees, then ask God to show you where you need to be refreshed.  Imagine him standing over you, pouring refreshing water over you, filling all of your needs with his love and mercy.

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All Rights Reserved Allison Gingras and Deanna Bartalini, 2016
​Music copyright – Ben Walther Music

Deanna Bartalini is the Director of Faith Formation for St. Edward Catholic Church in Palm Beach, FL.

​For most of her life she has been a planner; however, the Holy Spirit usually intervenes, sometimes quite forcefully, and leads her to another path.  Deanna is still learning to adjust to that fact; in her experience, when you put your trust in God he doesn’t let you down.  It’s a lesson she learns often, sometimes daily.

She writes at deannabartalini.com, serves as the editor of the NewEvangelizers.comblog and is a contributor there as well as CatholicMom.com and AmazingCatechists.com.