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Respite For the Weary
So often, we as believers choose to go through our days with parched souls. The well of water is available; it's pure and refreshing, but we choose to live life on the run. His water REVIVES the soul, but we pass by it-- there's just no time to linger in his love. Or maybe, we choose to drink culture's kool-aid instead; the sugary drink is luring, but then it leaves us wanting. Until we understand that nothing will quench our thirst like his living water, our souls will remain parched.
The little girl in Christmas Morning has another mystery to unwrap! What will it be?
After dancing to the music box of joy (see previous post: https://www.respitefortheweary.com/post/the-making-of-christmas-morning-the-third-gift), the little girl sits down to open up... a beautiful crytstal goblet. And guess what? This goblet in not empty! Not only that, it is never empty! As a matter of fact, the goblet is full to overflowing! (By the way, Acacia, the illustrator of Christmas Morning, envisioned this picture in her head and then beautifully illustrated it for the book. I'm so thankful for her thoughts because the picture I originally had in my mind was so limited; I simply saw the little girl daintily sipping out of the goblet. But Acacia's picture is so much more accurate! It portrays abundance! This particular illustration ended up speaking into all the other pages of the book, giving Christmas Morning a "Narnia" feel.)
The name of this gift is: the goblet of living water. And as you can surmise, it is symbolic for the water that Jesus gives us through his word and his Spirit.
So often, we as believers choose to go through our days with parched souls. The well of water is always available. This water is pure and refreshing, but we opt out and instead live life on the run. His water revives the soul, but we decide that there's no time to linger in his love. Or maybe, we are drinking, but we choose culture's kool-aid instead; as a result, we are actually more depleted than revived. Until we understand that nothing will quench our thirst like his living water, our souls will remain parched.
Hear Jesus' plea:
“Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14
Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters... Isaiah 55:1
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:2-3
As the deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. Psalm 42:1
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. Isaiah 44:3
How will we answer his plea? Will we take a sip, then another, then another, until we are so filled up that we become an overflowing vessel of his hope and truth to all those around us? This is God's desire for you and me.
Open up the gift of his living word. No need to live with a parched soul when each one of us has been invited by our Savior to drink in his abundance.
Monday
Picture: House (Builder/Architect)
Scripture: Psalm 127:1; 1 Chronicles 28:11-12, 19; Jeremiah 29:11-13; Hebrews 3:1-6; 11:8-10
Write any phrases from the selected Bible verses that speak to you:
Close your eyes and visualize the detailed architectural plans of a residential home. Much like these plans, God has laid out every detail of our lives, start to finish. Just as God spoke to King David in regards to the physical temple that was to be built, He speaks to us through His word concerning our daily plans.
Do you consider your Builder trustworthy or do you have plans of your own? Explain.
What are some specific life plans that God has revealed to you as you have trusted in His word?
Write a prayer using the above verses as a reference:
Friday
Picture: Vessel (pouring out)
Scripture: 1 Kings 17:7-16; 2 Corinthians 4:7; 2 Timothy 4:6-8; Philippians 2:16-18
Write any phrases from the selected Bible verses that speak to you:
Meditate on the act of someone pouring refreshing purified water from a pitcher into several different drinking glasses. This idea illustrates God’s beautiful work being manifested through us towards others. As a Christian (like Paul in the above verses), we have a continual life-long privilege of filling up and then pouring out.
What are differing factors that might keep you from being a life-giving vessels to others?
In what way is God using you to be His vessel of sacrificial love: in your family, in your job, in your witness to the lost?
Write a prayer using the above verses as a reference:
Tuesday
Picture: Sheep (downcast, dispirited)
Scripture: Psalm 38:6-10; Matthew 9:36; Psalm 42:5-11
Write any phrases from the selected Bible verses that speak to you:
Read and meditate on this excerpt from Daily Bread: “In his classic book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, W. Phillip Keller gives a striking picture of the care and gentleness of a shepherd. In verse 3 when David says, “He restores my soul,” he uses language every shepherd would understand. Sheep are built in such a way that if they fall over on their side and then onto their back, it is very difficult for them to get up again. They flail their legs in the air, bleat, and cry. After a few hours on their backs, gas begins to collect in their stomachs, the stomach hardens, the air passage is cut off, and the sheep will eventually suffocate. This is referred to as a “cast down” position. When a shepherd restores a cast down sheep, he reassures it, massages its legs to restore circulation, gently turns the sheep over, lifts it up, and holds it so it can regain its equilibrium. What a picture of what God wants to do for us! When we are on our backs, flailing because of guilt, grief, or grudges, our loving Shepherd reassures us with His grace, lifts us up, and holds us until we’ve gained our spiritual equilibrium.”
Have you ever been, or are you currently, downcast or dispirited? Explain.
Do you know others who are downcast? Write their names here and pray for them, as well as consider writing them an encouraging note.
Write a prayer using the above verses as a reference.
Thursday
Picture: House (Rebuilder/ Restorer)
Scripture: Isaiah 57:14-15; Isaiah 58:12; Isaiah 61:4; Jeremiah 31:3-4; Ezekiel 36:33-36
Write any phrases from the selected Bible verses that speak to you:
Visualize for a minute a house either being built or remolded. With this picture in mind, a message of hope comes to us. Not only do we have a Builder, we also have a Rebuilder. Sometimes the chaos of sin or circumstance enters and reeks havoc in our lives; BUT, no mess is too big for our Savior. He can redeem anything, causing all things to be even more beautiful than before.
Is there something that God has placed on your heart “to build” that is based on His foundational truths?
Is there a time in your life that you have experienced “beauty from ashes” due to God’s redeeming love? Explain.
Write a prayer using the above verses as a reference.
Monday
Picture: Sheep (the Good Shepherd)
Scripture: Psalm 23; Isaiah 40:11; 1 Peter 5:7
Write any phrases from the selected Bible verses that speak to you:
Imagine a modern day shepherd tending to his sheep. See him leading, protecting, grooming, and feeding all his sheep. Just as this guardian has many roles in caring for his flock, so does our Good Shepherd concerning His people.
In Psalm 23, what verse speaks to you most concerning the Lord as your Shepherd?
In what ways do you personally feel the Lord’s care for you in your current life circumstances?
Write a prayer using the above verses as a reference.
Wednesday
Picture: Sheep (going astray, scattered)
Scripture: Isaiah 53:6; Psalm 119:176; Matthew 26:31; Ezekiel 34:11-16; Matthew 18:10-13
Write any phrases from the selected Bible verses that speak to you:
Close your eyes and envision a sheep wandering off far away from the flock only to get caught on a dangerous sloping hillside. Now see the Shepherd’s relentless pursuit in both finding and rescuing this lost sheep. So often, we get ourselves into our self-created messes, but thankfully our Savior comes to the rescue when we cry out with a repentant heart.
In what way have you felt your Shepherd come to you rescue you from a precarious situation?
After your rescue by your Good Shepherd, what was your reaction?
Write a prayer using the above verses as a reference.
How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. Proverbs 16:16
Dear Lord,
Help us to crave your greater things more than the world's lesser ones. Change our heart's desire from chasing the fleeting treasures of prosperity to pursuing the lasting riches of wisdom and understanding. Your word is full of bountiful blessings; may we get rich in it today. In Jesus' Name, Amen.