A spring of water gushing up to eternal life.

 

Wednesday, July 12, 2023


Psalms 28; 29

1 Samuel 27:1-28:2

John 4:1-15


A spring of water gushing up to eternal life.


Trying to discern God’s will for our lives is difficult. We consult the scriptures for God’s likes and dislikes; we reflect on the unique gifts with which God has blessed us; we try and work out how we “fit in” to our church and see how God wants those gifts to be used. Often it is through trial and error that we eventually discover where God wants us, and how God wants to use us.


Through all this process of discernment there is disappointment. Perhaps we thought God wanted to use our known gifts, and instead sends us off on a path that teaches us we actually have gifts in other areas. Perhaps our idea of what would be a successful vocation is different to what God thinks is successful. To be refined as gold in a fire (1 Peter 1:7) does not imply an easy process.


Consoling ourselves through this disappointment comes through two perspectives: the now and the then. Jesus is, here and now, sitting in the shade beside the well of living water. He is calling us over, telling us to have our fill – does disappointment not feel like spiritual thirst? Is His comforting presence nothing less than that feeling when that thirst is quenched?


We also get given a further perspective, off into the distance. This spring besides which Jesus sits is not all that there is. Describing water as “living” is an ancient technical term, that describes water that is part of the water cycle: rain falling from the sky; water flowing down the hill; the streams running into the river; the ocean crashing over itself. This living water is moving somewhere, and it is increasing into a “gushing stream”. The transformation of the trembling pilgrim into the bold saint is inevitable.


I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Behold, I freely give
the living water; thirsty one,
stoop down, and drink, and live!”
I came to Jesus, and I drank
of that life-giving stream;
my thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
and now I live in Him.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Monday, September 12, 2022

  Monday, September 12, 2022 Psalm 33 Habakkuk 1:1-11 Ephesians 1:1-14 In Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. The lectionary has taken us from the beloved disciple to one of the most beloved of Paul's epistles: Ephesians. Paul must have loved this church very much: we get a sense of his fondness for them and their shared sense of purpose and worship just from the introduction. In what is likely just an introduction to a letter in the style of the ancient Roman world, Paul has managed to squeeze in the entire, wondrous story of God's work of redemption. Paul has framed it the way it ought to be framed: in a pastoral, encouraging tone. He has three main points here (remember, Paul proceeds logically to build up an argument, unlike John who circles around his main point). First: God intended to save us before the world was formed. Think back to the first l
Read more

“Short time or long – I pray to God not only you but all who are listening become like I am, except for these chains.”

  Monday, September 11, 2023 Psalms 28; 29 1 Kings 7:51-8:21 Acts 26:19-32 Observance: Deiniol, bishop (d. 384) “ Short time or long – I pray to God not only you but all who are listening become like I am, except for these chains.” The great many blessings of being under the protection of the blood of the Lamb fill our hearts with joy and peace. To have the Almighty Creator of the universe, the One who sits above the flood, filling the temple of our being with the cloud of His presence is what it truly means to be human. Every day is filled with adventure; every night turns to the rest of the victor. Certainly there are chains: sometimes they are physical chains, the suffering of being a Christian among people who do not love the Lord. Sometimes they are spiritual; the attacks of the powers of the air who try to distract us from the One we love. But they always fall away. Our Rock of Ages always frees us; always brings us out of the pit of despair. A won
Read more

Monday, September 19

  Monday, September 19 Psalm 45 Nahum 1:15-2:9 Ephesians 4:17-28 ...be renewed in the spirit of your minds... It is far too easy to read some of these Pauline lists of virtues and vices and feel like we have gone back to the dark days before the Reformation. The idea that if we behave ourselves then we can call ourselves “good people” is pagan, not Christian. Paul feels very strongly about how Christians behave, he “affirms and insists” upon it. But it is because of what has already happened that we should mind our step, not because of where we are going. Christ's resurrection is many things, but one aspect relevant for Paul's teaching this morning is that it demonstrates to us the radical new reality in which we now live. We too have passed (spiritually) from death to life; therefore, we experience a “renewal of our minds”. Instead of treading water until we die, we live lives. Everything now makes sense: God has spoken, so we have logic. God made us in His im
Read more