Ok, so I was wrong. It wasn't John 7 where Jesus was talking to the woman at the well, it was chapter 4. In seven Jesus was in the Temple during a feast where one of the events was a water offering. During that event He stands and claims to be the source of rivers of Living Water flowing out of those believing in Him. In Chapter 4 He calls it a fountain rather than a river springing up to eternal life. That will remind me to always check the context before writing the entry. Always check my references. Good advice.
So, again, the spring of eternal life living water is interpreted by Chambers to be good effects of the believer in this world. That is possible, and is supposed to be a characteristic of believers in general. So, the question for me is, "Am I such a source of living water for others I encounter?" The quick answer is probably not. There are those who need my Master most, know Him least, and scare the willies out of me (whatever willies are, and do I really need them anyway). But these are typically become the most energetic believers. I have a new neighbor who clearly loves life, but his life is separated from the source of every breathe he breathes.
I have a neighbor next to me who refuses to kill anything, including wasps, and tried to save a nest that had taken up residence in a car he was working on. He was sad when they failed to move with the nest and many died. My wife and I spray wasps mercilessly when we find them. But this guy doesn't know Jesus for who He is. He believes he's good enough without "church", "Christianity", and so on. I like him and his "wife/girl friend" but I haven't broken through to that all important introduction into the Person of Jesus. My wife asked me how we can make that transition or introduction. I don't know. That's a problem.
I'm still waiting to find out if I can find an existing small group in my neighborhood. It seems my Master is keeping me from that knowledge. Well, not really. I saw the pastor last night, and I forgot to ask. So, really is that important to me? It is, but I was in the "moment" and distracted by other things, like paint sprayers, scaffolding, and drop cloths. Well, that's my excuse anyway. I want something to invite my neighbors to, but I don't want to start it. What I want is to be that stream or fountain of living water and for others to ask about it. I must not be that great a source of living water because no one asks.
I sense something in me getting ready to grow out of my adolescent fears of others. I'm certainly not there yet, but I sense it coming. It's not about me; it's not about others even. It is about my Master shucking the shells I have used to hide my "hermit crab" body from this world. He wants to be my security. Anything others can take from me is not mine anyway. I'm having trouble with that paradigm shift. I probably have too much, but even that's an excuse. I could have a cardboard box and have too much. The water flow from my life is dammed by my fears and efforts to protect myself and my stuff.
So, the one believing in my Master and drinking from His water will have a fountain of it springing up inside them to eternal life. Ok, I guess the application for me today is get my cup, drink deep from my Master, and kick over my stupid wall of fears. It's time to end this drought. Now where did I put my big cup and steel-toed boots?
No comments:
Post a Comment