Broad rivers and streams bring life wherever they flow. The land beside great rivers bursts with variety, with abundance, with harvest after harvest. And God is all of this to his Church. When you have God, you have everything. What could you possibly ask for that he will not give? What need could you name that he will not meet? "On this mountain the Lord of hosts will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples."

Do you need the bread of life? It falls like manna from heaven. Do you thirst for refreshing water? The rock goes with you, and that Rock is Christ. Listen! If you lack anything today, the fault is not with God. If you feel restricted or limited, you are not restricted by him—you are restricted by your own small faith.

But broad rivers mean more than abundance. They mean trade routes, commerce, connection. Our glorious Lord is our gateway to heavenly commerce. Through Christ, we have access to the past. The wealth of Calvary, the treasures of the covenant, the riches stored up before the world began, the vaults of eternity itself—all of it flows to us down the broad river of our gracious Lord.

And we have commerce with the future too! What ships, loaded down to the waterline, sail toward us from the coming kingdom! What glimpses we catch of heaven breaking into earth! Through our glorious Lord we trade with angels. We have fellowship with those bright spirits, washed in blood, who sing before the throne. No—better than that! We have communion with the Infinite One himself.

But most of all, broad rivers and streams speak of security. In ancient times, rivers were defenses. Beloved, what a defense God is to his Church! The devil cannot cross this broad river of God. Oh, how he wishes he could redirect the current! How he schemes to find a way across! But take heart. God remains unchangeably the same. Satan may harass, but he cannot destroy. No enemy warship will navigate our river. No hostile fleet will pass through.