Long ago, when Kenner’s Esplanade Mall had a beautiful water fountain, I brought my then 3-year-old daughter Lauren to shop.

Many of the people in the mall that day busily passed by the fountain without glancing at the water.

Then pennies visible at the bottom of the pool of clear water were proof of a few who had stopped long enough to toss a coin and make a wish.

As was my habit when I brought my children to the mall, I emptied my wallet of the pennies and handed them to Lauren. She began to throw them, one by one, with all of her might, trying to get her coins to go farther than anyone else’s.

Then it happened. As she stretched her arm forward to release a penny, she lost her balance and toppled into the water.

That little girl stared at me with those big brown eyes, waiting for my response. I laughed, thinking of how much I would love to be in the water with her, so she laughed.

To this day, Lauren has the distinction of being my only child to have ever experienced the fullness of that fountain.

In Psalm 36:9, David wrote of our God, “For with you is the fountain of life.” With reference to God, I don’t want to be in the group of people who pass by that Fountain without ever taking notice.

Nor do I want to be in the group who are content to stand around God’s presence, tossing in token prayers that are mere wishes. No, I want to be like Lauren.

I want to dive in, fully abandon myself, and experience all that God has for me.

In addition to being cleansed by the Living Water, I want to experience the depths of God, enjoy the freedom of swimming around in His love, and become so saturated with His presence that others will want to jump in and have their spiritual thirst satisfied.

Lord, may we all trust You enough to take that leap of faith.

    

Ronny Michel may be reached at

rmichel@rtconline.com.