The River of Life - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Revelation 22:1

The River of Life
The life of believers is indeed eternal life, but nonetheless it is a dependent life; it is not life apart from Christ. "The river" and "the tree" are symbols that very blessedly bring Christ before our souls. Further, they speak of Christ in connection with "life," for the river is the "river of water of life," and the tree is "the tree of life." Christ is not only the fountain of life through whom we receive life, according to His own touching words, "Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely" (22:17), but as the river of life He is the One that sustains the life He gives.

So the apostle Paul can say, "Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2:20). The new life is sustained by Christ in all His wondrous love as the object before the soul. Alas! it may be but feebly that we keep our eyes on Christ, and thus feebly live the new life we have. In the day of glory the new life will be sustained and enjoyed to the full as, without hindrance, we shall have Christ before the soul and thus drink of the river of water of life. Thus we can say,

Oh, Christ, He is the fountain,

The deep sweet well of love;

The streams on earth I've tasted,

More deep I'll drink above.

Moreover, the river of life is "clear as crystal." Any little reflection of Christ seen in one another will help to sustain the new life; but, in ourselves, the stream is often fouled and muddied with the things of earth, and hence reflects little of the loveliness of Christ. In Christ the river of water of life is "clear as crystal."

Hamilton Smith