The Overflow

The water rushes as small hands grasp the garden hose.  The land parched by months of drought soaks up the cool stream as it passes over the plants, grass, and trees.  In times like these patches of green mix with brown as the grass struggles to survive through the scorching hot days of a Texas summer where rain is often prayed for, but rarely seen.  

And Grande’s favorite part of helping his Abuelita comes at the end.  He aims the spray of water at the birdbath and watches as it splashes and overflows.  And I watch his excitement.  It’s a beautiful sight the overflow of that cool, clear water.

But it’s not just the abundance that makes it beautiful.  It’s the water.  It’s the beauty of the water itself.  It’s purity.  It’s goodness.

Imagine the same scene with sticky black tar coming out of the hose.  The picture loses it’s beauty.  

When it comes to overflow and abundance we all have it.  Whether we have an overflow of goodness or evil depends on what we have stored in our hearts.  

Is our overflow beautiful?

Is it of living water?

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

Luke 6:45

Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says.

John 7:38

I Thought This Was Supposed To Be Fun.

Ingredients:

1 year old boy 

plenty of sunshine

warm weather

park

baby swing

push

Procedure:

Gather all ingredients.  Insert boy into swing.  Push gently while smiling and exclaiming what fun it is to swing.  This should elicit giggles and happiness from boy.

I had all the ingredients.  I followed the recipe.  

Chico cried.

What went wrong?  It was supposed to be fun!  That’s what swings are made for, so that little boys can enjoy them on sunny days.  

Have you ever felt like Chico?  Following the world’s recipe for the good life and ending up in tears?  Following someone’s method for spiritual growth and feeling farther and farther away from the Lover of your soul?  Following the church’s strategy for prosperity and wondering why you don’t have what others do?

The more I get to know the Lord, the more I realize that his plan for me is different than his plan for you.  While the truth in his Word is the same for everyone, the way it plays out and the place it takes each person is different.  

When it comes to methods, procedures, recipes, etc., the focus is always on the end result.  Where we want to be.  What we want to have.  

When it comes to living life with Jesus the focus is on the process.  Our walk with Him.  Our relationship with Him.  

And I find that the work He does in me along the way is of much greater value than anything promised by the methods, recipes and strategies out there.

Don't look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do.  The way to life-to God!-is vigorous and requires total attention.

Matthew 7:13-14 (The Message)

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:33 (NIV)

Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me your paths.

Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.

Psalm 25:4-5 (NIV)

High Places

Chico’s up high.  Sitting high on the wall.  But how did he get up there being so small?  Did he jump, did he climb, did he suddenly grow?  Does he have superpowers?  Could he have his own show?  Can he fly, can he run, does he swing from the trees?  No, most of his time is spent on hands and knees.

He’s small.  

But he has someone to lift him up.  Me.

I sat him on the wall to take some pictures.  He couldn’t get there on his own.  But he got there anyway.  In the end whether he get’s there after many of his own failed attempts or by accepting help right away he ends up in the same place.

Like Chico there are many places we just can’t reach on our own.  We can struggle and try all we want, but we just won’t make it until we ask the Lord to lift us up, to take us to the place He has prepared for us.  It’s when we come to accept that He is the one who makes us able that we can reach the heights.  

So let’s let Him take us, do with us what He wants, and we’ll find ourselves in places we never could have arrived on our own.

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.  He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights.  He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

Psalm 18:32-34

Scripture Sunday

Little Legs

We took a walk around the block today while my mother in-law made dinner.  About half way around Chico stopped and sat down.  

 

He was exhausted.  His tiny legs just couldn’t keep up with our big ones, and his few months of experience walking just doesn’t compare to the years his brothers and I have been walking.  So I stopped, turned around, scooped him up in my arms, and carried him the rest of the way.  

There’s no doubt that Chico would have been in danger if I had left him there alone.  If he’d been alone he may not have gotten up.  And if he did he might have headed for the street.  Even if he had stayed on the sidewalk at 1 year old the chances he would make it back to his Abuelita’s house would have been slim.

My question is why when we see a brother or sister in Christ sit down or fall is our reaction so different than my reaction with Chico?  

We criticize.  We gossip.  We comment on how it makes the rest of us Christians look.  We speculate about the undisclosed details.  We discuss how not to fall in the same way.

But could it be that the Lord has called us to stop, turn around, scoop them up and start to carry them?

if one falls down, the other helps, But if there's no one to help, tough!

Ecclesiastes 4:10

No matter how many times you trip them up, God-loyal people don't stay down long; Soon they're up on their feet, while the wicked end up flat on their faces.

Proverbs 24:16

Could it be that God-loyal people don’t stay down long because they’ve understood the truth of Ecclesiastes?  Not because of their personal strength, but because they had people around them who in obedience to the Holy Spirit helped them up?