POURED OUT...
Jesus shouted to the crowds, "If you are thirsty, come to me! If you believe in me, come and drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within." (from John 7) When he said "living water," he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory. Today the Holy Spirit is freely available to those who come to Jesus and become His disciple. Are you willing to allow your life to be broken and poured out for others? Oswald Chambers says, "Our Lord’s teaching was always anti-self-realization. His purpose is not the development of a person— His purpose is to make a person exactly like Himself, and the Son of God is characterized by self-expenditure. If we believe in Jesus, it is not what we gain but what He pours through us that really counts. God’s purpose is not simply to make us beautiful, plump grapes, but to make us grapes so that He may squeeze the sweetness out of us. Our spiritual life cannot be measured by success as the world measures it, but only by what God pours through us— and we cannot measure that at all." Jesus' blood was poured out to forgive the sins of many, sealing the covenant between God and his people. As His followers, have we surrendered everything that hinders love in our lives? Today we have the gift of the Holy Spirit which has been poured out upon us believers. Whatever we are now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on us. So we praise God for the wonderful kindness he has poured out on us because we belong to his dearly loved Son. But even if our lives are to be poured out like a drink offering to complete the sacrifice of faithful service, by life or by death, we will rejoice! Our lives are not our own - we belong to the Father who generously poured out the Spirit upon us because of what Jesus Christ our Savior did. May the cry of our hearts be the same as Jesus when He prayed in the garden, "My Father... not as I will, but as you will". Amen!