Do you tend to get into your “comfort zone” of old ways and thinking? I do. I get comfortable with my concept of God and His love for me. When I get comfortable, I relax my walk in Christ, rest from the spiritual fights, and let my guard down. WHAM! All of the sudden everything seems to go wrong. “Lord, why is this happening to me? What did I do?” The question we should also be asking is, “What did I NOT do?”
I used to live in the mountains on some property where the water for our family cafe business and three families was supplied by a spring up behind us on the side of a mountain. One afternoon in the early spring we joined “Mr. C” (the man who owned the property we lived and worked on) on a hike up the side of the mountain to the source of our water, a large spring-fed pond. Mr. C explained that He came up on a regular basis to check the pond and make sure that leaves and debris do not clog up the pond. He explained that for the water to remain good enough for us to use it needed to have fresh, uncontaminated water coming in and fresh, uncontaminated water going out; otherwise the pond would become stagnant, grow bad bacteria and become unsafe to use. Because he did this regularly three families and a business had wonderfully tasting spring water to use and enjoy.
The Lord brought this simple lesson I learned as a 15 year old back to mind to make a point. I am like that pond. God has provided Living Water, Himself (John 4), to fill me. He is the Word (John 1) and I could fill up and not allow any more in but without more refreshing from the supply Source the water would become putrid and stagnant within me; unusable by Him to refresh others. I need to allow this spring of Living Water to continually flow into me. Is that enough? Now that I have that Living Water in my life should I not hold on to it? No, because if I do not allow it to flow out of my life, it will again become stagnant. What if I have sin in my life that I just cannot seem to overcome? What if I allow the worries of this world to fill my thoughts? These are like the leaves and debris that clog the outflow of the pond. Again it becomes repulsive and stagnant.
“Purge (clean out) the old leaven that you may be fresh…uncontaminated…” (1 Cor. 5:7 AMP)
We need to clean out the pond on a regular basis so the debris and leaves do not block it up. How do we do this? We start really trusting Him to take care of us not matter what the circumstances are around us. We confess our sins to Him, repent of them, and ask His forgiveness and He cleans all that junk out. Is it a "once-and-for-all" task? Not at all!
“…for you have stripped off the old unregenerate self…and have clothed yourself with the new spiritual self which is ever in the process of being renewed...” (Col. 3:9-10 AMP)
“Ever in the process” sounds like a continual flow to me. A continual flow of fresh water in and out. This is our goal. So how do we keep this NEW FRESHNESS “ever in the process”?
“For my determined purpose is that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power out-flowing from His resurrection…” (Phil. 3:10a AMP)
“Progressively” sounds just like “ever in the process,” does it not? Herein is our answer. Keeping our pond full, with fresh water from the Source coming in and flowing out unrestricted, only happens as we partner with God and purpose to know Him in an ever deeper way thus allowing the power of His resurrection to continually transform us.
How do I apply this to my life? I spend time every morning with Him, reading His Word, discussing it with Him and getting His instructions for the day. Am I perfect? Far from it! When I sin I do not wait until my nightly prayers to deal with it. I stop and confess it right away. If something touches my heart (the beauty of nature, the laugh of a child, the sorrow of a friend) I pray at THAT moment for the friend, thank God for the beauty, and praise Him for the laughter. I spend time with Him every night using a devotion book. I purpose that He is FIRST and LAST in my daily life. This is how He helps me keep my pond clear, clean and pure, ever producing that Living Water to nourish myself and others.
Are you tired of everything going wrong all of the sudden? Do you want power and victory in your life? Do you long to live above the circumstances around you? Get into God’s Word every day to start receiving that fresh Living Water from the Source. Clean your pond (and keep it clean) thus allowing the Living Water to flow in and out freely so others can drink and be refreshed.
