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| Photo by nosheep via stock.xchng |
This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've recieved I will sow
- Desert Song, Hillsong United
Jena's message last week has really stuck with me. My brain started whirring listening to her read Romans 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Her depiction of us as jars, filled with the living water of Jesus, gave definition to the image in my mind of our bodies as vessels to be filled with God, in all his many forms and attributes, only to be emptied again, poured out for others.
I know what you are thinking - dude, I feel empty all...the...time - and that doesn't make me feel closer to God! Our lives can often feel like an episode of Wipeout - we have lofty goals involving coming to the finish clean, dry, and in record time - only to be punched off a ledge and into the muddy water below by a giant boxing glove, spun off our perch into the muck, or bounced between giant balls on our way to the dirty water again.
I get it, I feel that way too. But, what if the key to being filled with all joy and peace and overflowing with hope lays in what we fill our vessels with and how we are emptying ourselves? As Jena so eloquently pointed out, God is the only thing that can truly fill us to overflowing. Our mountains and pebbles can be packed into our jars, giving us the illusion of being filled, yet we have this bone-deep feeling of emptiness that challenges that illusion. Our souls know what we sometimes forget - only God can "fill you with all joy and peace...so that you may overflow with hope."
What if we have to give of ourselves in a way that honors him in order to make room for an overflow of living water? When we are pouring ourselves out for others we not only give God room to "bless (us) abundantly", but we serve others, bless others, and act as God's hands and feet on earth.
"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: "They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"
2 Corinthians 9:6-15
Pouring ourselves out for others fills needs (resulting in thanks being given to God by the recipients), the space created allows God to fill us to overflowing again, giving us more to pour out...the cycle goes on indefinitely. Letting my inner nerd loose, I see it like this:
God fills us continuously, like water vapor feeding clouds -- to the point of overflowing so we can empty ourselves out for others, like the full clouds releasing rain to pour down to enrich the land, plants, and sea -- our generosity and service for others brings praises from them to God, like water from the land, plants, and sea evaporating (or transpiring) into the air to be condensed again.
Lucky for us God's grace and love do not operate in a closed loop like the hydrologic (water) cycle depicted in this little cartoon. His love knows no bounds and is not predicated on how much we give of ourselves - he fills us because he loves us. But, just think about how much sweeter and more abundant the overflow could be if we were pouring ourselves out in ways that honor God!
I know I'm filled to be emptied again.
The seed I've received I will sow.
How are you creating room in your jar for God's living water? How are you pouring yourself out for others?
- Katrina
