“I came that they might have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].” (John 10:10b AMPC)

Having grown up on the west coast of British Columbia, Canada, I’m somewhat familiar with ocean tides. Sometimes, we could swim easily, but other times, we had to walk a long way to reach the edge of the water.

In 1972, my husband and I visited Mont St. Michel, a medieval abbey on an island, a kilometre off the northwest coast of France. In those days, it was joined to the mainland by a simple road easily walked on. We were cautioned to pay attention to the tide, as it could cut access to the road in a matter of hours. Sure enough, when we arrived back at the causeway a bit late, the sea had already flowed across the footpath leading to the road. We had to scramble through the water to get back on dry land. This high tide, though, was nothing compared to the super tide, rising 14 metres high, that completely surrounded the island in 2015.

This super tide reminded me of something that I once read.

“Living at Flood Tide” is a chapter in the book, Too Soon to Quit, by George Sweeting. He writes of D. L. Moody, an enthusiastic, young American preacher in the nineteenth century, who built the largest Sunday School in America before he was twenty-seven, served as director of the YMCA in Chicago, and founded a large church. Despite these successes, Moody became dissatisfied with his life. Eventually, he had an encounter with the Holy Spirit. He yielded himself to the will of God, and He revealed Himself to him in such a rush of love, that he had to tell Him to stop. Sweeting relates, “Moody’s dry spell was over, and he began to live at flood tide. ‘I was all the time tugging and carrying water,’ said Moody, ‘ but now I have a river that carries me.'” Relying on the Holy Spirit made the difference.

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13 NRSV)

Living at flood tide means living under the influence (from the Latin inflowing) of the Holy Spirit, a rich and satisfying life.

We don’t have to carry the water buckets of our own self-effort. Through His Holy Spirit, Jesus promises that “out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38b NRSV) until our cup overflows with the blessings of an abundant life.

Let’s live an abundant life, a life at flood tide.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that You are the River in our lives, so that we can live at flood tide. We don’t have to carry buckets of water; You carry us! Remind us to stay connected to You by reading Your Word and staying in Your presence, so that we demonstrate the abundant life to others. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Alice Burnett
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada

Reprinted with author’s permission from PresbyCan Daily Devotionals