August 9, 2010

What Flows Into You Determines What Will Flow Out of You
John 7:37-39 (NLT)

37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” 39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.) John 7:37-39 (NLT)

Pastor’s Blog

There are few things in life that are more difficult to control than what shapes my soul.

Jesus was teaching at the feast of tabernacles in Jerusalem. It was a great feast where people from all over would gather and the rabbis would say “If you have not been to a Feast of the Tabernacles, you have not seen joy”. The highlight was when the High Priest would scoop a pitcher into the waters of Solome and carry the water to the temple and pour the water out (a big deal in a desert land) and then quote from the prophets, “With joy we shall drink from the wells of salvation”. It was at that moment that a young itinerant rabbi (Jesus) spoke today’s scripture. Jesus was saying, “Anyone who is discontent , anybody who is unhappy, anybody who is frustrated, anybody who whines, anybody who complains, all who are dissatisfied, let them come to me” To anyone who has a gap between where they are and where God intends them to be (who doesn’t have such a gap), Jesus says, “Come to me”.

Perhaps a helpful spiritual exercise would be to make a list of all the ways your environment seeks to satisfy you longings, to fill your “gap”. You might be surprised at all the “voices” seeking your allegiance. Next, in a parallel column, list the ways that your life allows God to provide a shaping of and a satisfaction for you soul. Then study it for a while and let the Holy Spirit direct you to some next “soul shaping” steps.

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