Rivers of Living Water

Healing Hands Ministry Quilt made in 2011 for recipient in  2011

As I mentioned in my May 28th post, Isaiah 58 really impacted me about what real worship is to God, and also how Jesus demonstrated love throughout his life. Also recently, James 1 and 2 also showed how God’s word, the Bible, is like a mirror into my heart. So when I read the Bible, I shouldn’t just read it just to read it and walk away. I look into the Bible just as I would look into a mirror and see what I look like (daily, I hope!) and make adjustments to my heart. In other words, examine how I can change and apply it to how I am living.

Isaiah 58 shows how getting in the habit of pursuing the whims of my own pleasure, and being aimlessly idle does not bring about the life God desires. This is the false allure of what retirement is about, which is tempting and misleading. It also means is that a worshipper of God is not all about fasting, being a good church-goer and going through the motions, but someone who is aware of others around him who are oppressed, hungry, suffering who are in need of justice and mercy and is responsive to those needs. And the call is to spend oneself in sharing what blessings we have to others who need it, being merciful and impartial. And in this country, right in my own immediate community, there are people who are suffering, whether rich or poor, Christian or not, who are going through hard times. By hard times, it could be financially, mental health stress, family divisions, homelessness, unemployment, health issues, loneliness, abuse...just to name a few. People also may be living the consequences of lawlessness, drugs and alcohol abuse, or just living irresponsibly.

My problem that I’ve been wrestling with is “How?”  Where and how does God want to use me? I want to be used by God, but I don’t know where to begin. This side of me gets very overwhelmed. I get shocked and numbed by all the bad news (like the shootings at schools), and I want to withdraw, shelter myself, and shrink back.  “They deserve it! Their problems are not my problems, their business is not my business.” And I get so low and tired, it’s all the more tempting to do what I want to do to ease the burden and pain.

This is the mirror I am talking about. Most of us want to live “a good moral life”, but a “good moral life” is not what Jesus was teaching us. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, and John 7:38-39:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

“Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”[a] 39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him.”

Jesus wants each of us to come to Him. God knows that being a committed follower of Christ is hard. He is understanding and merciful and compassionate to us. It is clear that EVERYONE needs to spend time with God regularly, receive encouragement and guidance through prayer with Him, from good friendships that God provides, and receiving daily forgiveness from God for our shortcomings. Only through Jesus, and nothing and no one else can I get true refreshment, rest, strength, guidance, and courage. God is my refuge.

And God, WILL show me where and how He wants to use me.