Week Twenty-Five - Bubble, Bubble

A while back, I saw a picture of a huge Christian conference. People had flocked to hear this speaker. I'm not against conferences, but the same day, I read this, "There should never be any dry spells in the Christian life. God said He would be like an artesian well, bubbling forth with a cold, fresh, never-ending supply of water, quenching any thirst, and always satisfying. You don't need to run all over the country trying to find sources of spiritual refreshment. Artesian wells do not run dry. Broken cisterns do." (Blackaby)

It got me thinking about how we feed and water our spiritual lives. Do we look to others to do that? Do we listen to all sorts of podcasts, videos, and stuff, looking for them to quench our thirst? The promise of Christ in John 4:14 is, "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

I was forced to examine myself. Do I have that artesian well of life springing up in me? Do I know the freshness of fellowship with my Saviour? Or have I left my well unattended? Is it clogged? What does it reveal about me if I search for refreshment from outside sources instead of looking to the well of water Christ gave me at salvation?

Here's what I came up with. My best resource for encouragement is Christ. Only He can speak directly to my heart. Only He knows everything about me and still works in love toward my soul. My best resource for times of discouragement is Christ. He is the lover of my soul, the lifter up of my head, and the restorer of my hope. My best resource for direction is Christ. His Word promises direction if I will but seek it.

And the Word of God? That is the eternal source of water, the place where the well springs up as the Word comes alive to my heart. Also, the Spirit of God prays alongside me and teaches me more about Christ.

So, while I can benefit from listening to others, God never says they should be my resource. My comfort, encouragement, and spiritual stamina come directly from Him.

It reminded me of something else I once read, "Man's encouragement is gone in a moment. God's remains." I want encouragement that remains. I want that fountain of life that quenches my thirst and satisfies my longings bubbling in my soul and springing up each day.

How about you?