As I went down to the river to pray!

As I went down to the river to pray,

studying about that good old way,

And who shall wear the robe and crown

Oh Lord show me the way!

Oh sisters let's go down, let's go

down, Come on down.

Oh sisters let's go down, down to

the river to pray,"

African American Spiritual hymn (original author unknown)

I was considering joining a sheet music subscription app service. That would allow me to practice and point out any difficult notes I didn’t know, when I came across this piece by accident. I was looking for Gershwin's prelude no 2. I was not looking for a Christian spiritual from way back when. I did not think anything of it at the time, I was just trying to find an app that met my needs.

Then today I re-considered this ancient piece of music.

'As I went down to the river to pray?

studying about that good old way?

Oh Lord show me the way."

I let those words sink in. How many of us in the Current State of world affairs in our hectic lives actually have time from rising in the morning, feeding our families or ourselves, paying the bills, commuting, dealing with our daily stresses, covid, health, family, you name it, it's all happening in our lives. The Challenge, I guess is not in the composition of the Song's Simplicity but in the complexity of the statement.

I went down to the river today,

studying about that good old way." Why is that so difficult to carryout in the 21st century? And yet those words are strangely comforting! The call to stop, rest and ponder in the in the midst of modern times. "What a concept!"

I don't know what your river is, or what it looks like in you're lives, but my dear Brothers and Sisters, let's make time to go down to our personal rivers today. Shut the door, bow our heads, and ask God to show us the way and study about that good old way.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Help us to meet you at the river of our Souls today, as we humbly ask for your guidance and blessing for the day.

Amen x

Title

As I went down to the river to pray illustrated by Maggi O