shortlady
Member
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2005
- Messages
- 2,696
Filled My Vessel Lord and Let it Remain Filled
"So, after God has filled my empty vessel... why should I get empty again?" Good point! Why is it that we seem to run dry so often? I believe there are two reasons this happens. The first reason we find ourselves empty again is found in 2 Cor 4. Basically we are referred to as "Crackpots" in this chapter, common clay vessels that are flawed and leaky and can't really contain the Glory of God. But that's OK, because when we are weak, then He is strong, and He wants it to be clear that our power is from Him and not from us. The second reason is that I believe it is God's intention to have "Rivers of Living Water" flow out from within us. In other words, we pour ourselves out in service to The Lord, and then He fills us back up again. That way, the living water within us remains fresh and alive as it is always moving - from God to us, then out to those around us.
We humans are finite, but our God is infinite, and in His infinite mercy and grace He continues to wash over us and daily fill our empty cups to overflowing. Our part in this process is to continually increase our capacity for Him. Just like the widow in Elisha's day had to go around and collect empty vessels to contain the oil, so we need to increase our emptiness so as to gain more capacity for His fullness. "He must increase and we must decrease”, so said John the Baptist. In other words, when our lives are full of things other than His Spirit, we are limiting His Presence in our lives.
Even if these things are 'good things', they are still displacing the 'best thing', which is more of Him. As we yield our lives to Him, The Lord can then continually fill us to overflowing with more of Himself. And as we minister to those God has place around us, then the River begins to flow, down from Him, through us, and out to others. That is what Jesus called 'abundant life' or 'life to its fullest'. I want to be so full of God's love and mercy and grace that it simply leaks out and overflows in torrents of blessing to all with whom I come into contact. May God be with us all...
"So, after God has filled my empty vessel... why should I get empty again?" Good point! Why is it that we seem to run dry so often? I believe there are two reasons this happens. The first reason we find ourselves empty again is found in 2 Cor 4. Basically we are referred to as "Crackpots" in this chapter, common clay vessels that are flawed and leaky and can't really contain the Glory of God. But that's OK, because when we are weak, then He is strong, and He wants it to be clear that our power is from Him and not from us. The second reason is that I believe it is God's intention to have "Rivers of Living Water" flow out from within us. In other words, we pour ourselves out in service to The Lord, and then He fills us back up again. That way, the living water within us remains fresh and alive as it is always moving - from God to us, then out to those around us.
We humans are finite, but our God is infinite, and in His infinite mercy and grace He continues to wash over us and daily fill our empty cups to overflowing. Our part in this process is to continually increase our capacity for Him. Just like the widow in Elisha's day had to go around and collect empty vessels to contain the oil, so we need to increase our emptiness so as to gain more capacity for His fullness. "He must increase and we must decrease”, so said John the Baptist. In other words, when our lives are full of things other than His Spirit, we are limiting His Presence in our lives.
Even if these things are 'good things', they are still displacing the 'best thing', which is more of Him. As we yield our lives to Him, The Lord can then continually fill us to overflowing with more of Himself. And as we minister to those God has place around us, then the River begins to flow, down from Him, through us, and out to others. That is what Jesus called 'abundant life' or 'life to its fullest'. I want to be so full of God's love and mercy and grace that it simply leaks out and overflows in torrents of blessing to all with whom I come into contact. May God be with us all...
