Out of the overflow

Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
John 4:13-14

Ever been told to, ‘get a life’?

It really does seem that some people have more ‘life’ than others. For some, life is small, crowded and restrained, while others seem to be boundless, open and optimistic. I have experienced both, but I’d like to have more of the latter.

My workplace is going through a period of particular stress at the moment as the school goes through an inspection. Pressure has been building for quite a few months as we prepare for a few days this week when people will come to see how perfect and compliant we are with our paperwork.

In a season of stress, or a culture of stress, it’s very easy to get caught up in it. It’s like our inner resources are depleted, and we’re running on empty when it comes to our attitudes, emotions and responses.

But surely it doesn’t have to be that way. Real, abundant life, with joy and hope to spare is surely possible. The difference is our source, or how we are resourced to endure and enjoy these seasons.

If the sum total of my resources is myself then I’m going to run out of ‘life’ pretty soon. If it includes a great bunch of friends then it should take a little longer to run dry. We need something, or actually someone, who is way beyond us and our experience, knowledge and power.

God is an infinite source. We could never reach the end of His life, His love, His power and His grace. I want to live out of this overflow of God. (Thanks to my good mate Ric Burrell for saying it often). I want to be fuelled by Him and for that power to flow in all that I do so that it can be about Him and not me.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
Psalm 1:3

I love this picture in Psalm 1. God is like a river. A source that is never ending and always refreshed. We need only to keep our roots in the flow.

So often I need to be reminded of the choice that Jesus presents in John 4. So often I forget how much I need the God-source and wonder why ‘life’ is running out as stress, fear or worry set in.

Like the woman at the well in John 4 we need to continue to make that choice, to seek the living water of Jesus. It’s exciting to think too that this ‘life’ springs up in us to become a blessing to others.

Thirsty?

Choose well.