Drawing Water

Isaiah 12:2-3 - Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; "For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation." Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Reading this this morning made me think of the story of the woman at the well, one of my favorite stories...among many favorites!

Today, with the things we hear or read in the news, we must be able to trust and not be afraid and that only truly comes in knowing this YAH...God, the one true God, Jehovah; strength, power, according to Strong's Concordance. 

Before I had read this in Isaiah were words of people walking in darkness, then seeing a great light. This Samaritan woman did just that as she was headed to the well to draw water. She walked in the darkness of her sin. If you know the story, she went late in the day when others would not be there because she was an outcast because of her sin. 

As for Jesus, did He just happen to be there at this specific time, late in the day? Wasn't it also true that Jews did not associate with Samaritans, much less women? Didn't He have a habit of meeting up with those deemed lesser than others? Those others would ignore, bypass, shun. This was no coincidence.

All part of God's plan! This woman certainly did not know she would be met by this Man. Little did she know she would meet the Light. Little did she know He would shine light on her sin, forgive her and show her that not only was He the true Light of the world but the living Water, better than that which she was coming to get. 

She had no clue her life would change that day. All because she was drawing water. And so often that's how it works. One day we are met by Him in the midst of our everyday life and the darkness fades because the Light so shines; He pours out the water of His salvation and we thirst no more. We no longer need fear, but trust in Him. He becomes that strength and song.

We need a bit of encouragement these days. We will need more as days continue. It's good to build up that strength now while we can, while we can grow to trust God in good times so when bad times hit, we have a solid foundation for our trust. Drawing water from a true source of strength will keep that song in our heart despite the circumstances of life. Will you keep your heart open for this Man? Will you allow Him to become your Light, strength and song? 

Exodus 15:2 - The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; my father's God, and I will exalt Him.

Plant, Water, Grow

John 2:19-22 - Jesus ... said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?" But He was speaking of the temple of His body. Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

Our pastor, Terry Fischer of The Church in Wisconsin, shared something with us the other day. He had a talk with a Muslim couple as he was out rollerblading one day. He spoke only the truth of God's Word to them. Although he hit a point where it was evident the husband was uneasy, I know when God's Word is spoken it does not return void (Isaiah 55:11).

So he was again in the park taking a walk and thinking of this encounter he'd had and what he could say the next time as a challenge to them. God revealed something about a scripture he'd been thinking on a lot (For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 1Corinthians 4:20) He was depending on what God was showing him through the Word but not in the power of it. He was still concerned with the presentation of this Word to others instead of the power of what was spoken to them.

How many times I've attempted to talk about the Lord and was met with uneasiness or a complete shut down by the other person. But the Word was out there for someone to hear. 1Corinthians 3:6 tells us that we plant the seed, Apollos waters it, but God makes it grow. A little background here: The Apostle Paul wrote the Book of Corinthians. Apollos was a contemporary of Paul's, knew of and believed in Christ and preached the teachings of Jesus to the Ephesians and Corinthians. Paul planted the seeds in the lives of the Corinthians and Apollos continued... The Word was spoken, it was watered and God will do the work. It is not for us to take credit anyway for "saving" someone. Only God gets the glory. Only God knows what we need to speak as well to certain people. He, through His Spirit, will guide us.

The Word of God does not return void...but it must be spoken. We are to hide the Word in our hearts but we are also called to share it. There's enough of God to go an infinite way. My love for God and His love for me poses absolutely no jealousy in my heart. But He is a jealous God. He wants all to come into His saving grace, He wants none to perish. He uses us to spread the Word like Paul and Apollos. I might be the one who has watered what someone else has spoken! I might be the first to speak.

Above, Jesus spoke something no one understood. It wasn't until later revelation came. What we speak may not seem pertinent at the time, maybe uncomfortable to the  listener but God knows how it will impact their lives. Glory to God and God alone! We hear the Word, we read it, we learn it, we speak it as the Holy Spirit prompts. The Holy Spirit can water as well and then God does what He does best, He opens eyes to His truth in whatever way is best for each individual. Someone may not believe or seek the truth now but it could very well cause belief later when the right circumstance shows up in their life...and perhaps a remembrance of what they'd heard earlier. God knows how to push buttons, bring reminders.

It's our job to throw those words into the spiritual atmosphere. And not just words but actions (which I still need work on...).

Mark 13:11 - ...do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.