Recently I have become more aware of how things start connecting when we really focus on Christ. I have been spending a lot of time getting into His Word...and there are days when I get the same message from Him...over..and over. At which point I think..hmm, clearly You are trying to make a point!
The Oswald Chambers devotionals at www.utmost.org have been all about being a river of living water. Well...it's kind of hard to explain as poetically as he does (and as Jesus does!) but essentially, when we allow the Holy Spirit to flow through us as God is filling us up, rivers of living water pour out of us to affect those around us. We rarely see the effects of all of these rivers, but that is not the point. The point is to keep our eyes on the Source. If there is an obstacle that comes up...keep your eyes on the Source, which is Christ. God will either remove it or take you around it.
Today's words that stuck with me were: If nothing is between you and Christ, out of you will be a river CONTINUALLY flowing. Not a one time experience, or passing on a blessing, or paying it forward. This will be a way of life, that, if you stay connected to the Source, will never run dry. There will be no dry riverbed, there will be no Dead Sea. He is the Source of life, and He is faithful.
I also have had that song from the recent Passion album stuck in my head for about a month, since I heard it at CAV - "All my Fountains (are in You)"
So that's what I've been focusing on. There are a few barriers that have come up in my life, and I have been waiting not altogether patiently for Him to move them...or move me on. He orchestrated the most beautiful removal of one of them today. It was AMAZING. I mean, honestly sometimes I think He is showing off. :) But the great part is when we have our eyes on Him we get to see and be an active part of this faith walk.
The great thing tonight was at youth group (no, unfortunately I have not un-aged and returned to my younger years..lol...I am helping out with the youth! It's a blast!) the youth pastor spoke about...yep...being a stream of water. I admit I'm not sure why God is driving this into me right now. I'm still in the dark at what He has planned for me on earth. But as always, it's in the process, not the end product, that the Lord places emphasis.
The verses were Isaiah 58:9-11.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry and He will say, 'Here I am.'
If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness,
And if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will become like midday.
And the Lord will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places,
and give strength to your bones;
and you will be like a watered garden,
and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.
If you call upon the Lord, and then get rid of all the bad junk, like blaming and judging and badness...and then give of yourself to others..you will find that He will continually guide your steps. He will brighten your mood. He will bring you deep satisfaction, the likes of which the world can never provide! He will give you strength, and as long as you continue doing all these things- call on Him, repent, love others...He will make sure your waters never run dry.
Our God is awesome. That word no longer cuts it for me. I am in awe and in love and to be perfectly honest...I'm believing God over anything else.
Wouldn't you like to have the peace and joy He brings? There is no comparison.
No comments:
Post a Comment