Rivers

On By dorahakIn Fiction
PHOTO PROMPT © Penny Gadd
Genre: Realism; Word count: 100
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Rivers

The first murder set it into motion, the river of death running red with blood, black with vengeance and lust. This rivulet was one of many winding their way past graveyards. At this bend, she kissed him goodbye for the last time. Just twenty and off to war.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of death
Thou art with me . . . .”¹

Once she had thought that death had the run of the land. Now sitting on the bank, praying with her daughter before beginning her home school lessons, she knew there was also a river of life.

1Psalm 23 [A Psalm of David.] (KJV)

The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

43 thoughts on “Rivers”

  2. I like how you used Psalm 23 with your story of the two rivers of death that took her husband and life that she is living with her daughter. We need to pray with and teach our children not trusting the world to do that for us.

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  3. Dora, the springs of living water are also the rivers of death. It’s a package deal. I pray her son stays safe. So many never come back, or if they do, they are changed. Powerful reading. I read the Psalm with you ❤

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    1. Lisa,
      Thank you so much. I’m thrilled you read the psalm with me. It warms my heart no end. In the context of the story, the river of life is a Biblical allusion to verses like John 7:38 (“He who believes in me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water'”), and also Revelation 22: 1-2.
      pax,
      dora

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  14. Dear Dora,

    What a wonderfully written story. I love that you finished it with the river of life. It’s also nice to hear you read.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    PS this is one psalm my rabbi challenged me to memorize in Hebrew. I did. Very comforting in both languages.

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    1. Dear Rochelle,

      I would love to read and memorize it in Hebrew. I remember reading Simone Weil learned the Lord’s Prayer in Greek so that she would slow down and listen and “hear” each word. I’ll have to look the original Hebrew up on YouTube! Thank you dear friend.

      pax,
      dora

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Jimmy,
      I love the hymn with the chorus:
      “Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
      The beautiful, the beautiful river;
      Gather with the saints at the river
      That flows by the throne of God.”
      No one can sing this without a smile on our face! Praise God!
      pax,
      dora

      [From Hymnary.org:
      Robert Lowry wrote this hymn after meditating on a picture of heaven in Revelation 22:1-2a, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city” (ESV).]

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