Draw Deeply, Friends

Good morning, friends. I have missed sharing with you these past few mornings. Glad to be back today.

(Photo credit: wikipedia)

"Joyfully you'll pull up buckets of water from the wells of salvation. And as you do it, you'll say, 'Give thanks to God.'" (Isaiah 12:3-4, The Message)

I fear that we are often guilty of what has been termed as a "scarcity mentality." We look at the balance in our checking account and are acutely aware of our limited financial resources. We look at our calendars and are aware of our limited time resources. There is nothing at all wrong with accurately assessing, or "counting the cost" as Jesus talked about in Luke 14:28-31.

"But don't begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, 'There's the person who started that building and couldn't afford to finish it!'  

Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him?"(New Living Translation) 

The problem comes when we begin rationing grace or generosity or compassion, fearing that there might not be enough to go around-- or that we might run out ourselves.

We WILL run out if we are only focused on what we can supply, but there is a deep bottomless well of God's grace that is available to those who belong to Him. Jesus talked about this well in John 4:7-14.

Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink." He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.

The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?"

Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water." 

"But sir, you don't have a rope or a bucket," she said, "and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? And besides, do you think you're greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?"

Jesus replied, "Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life." (New Living Translation)

I remembered a couple of songs this morning that were favorites of mine during my college days when the Lord was focusing me on a life of ministry.

Question: How will you dip your bucket today?

Leave a comment below.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.