Fountains

Fifty one years ago tomorrow (9/5) I made one of the best commitments of my life as Carol and I began our life together. This morning I have been reflecting on so many events of that busy weekend. One that was both amusing and a teaching moment, was our decision to spend time each morning during our honeymoon reading a devotional given to us at our wedding…My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. Over the years we would on occasion reread that devotional, in the revised edition. It never gets “old”. My first encounter with the book however was the original edition that titled that daily reading as Springs of Benignity. Not only did I have trouble pronouncing it, but what in the world was it? In later editions that title was changed to Fountains of Blessings…What an improvement! We laughed many times in later years about that experience and my effort to be the macho leader that morning.

This morning I took that book from the shelf and reread Chamber’s words again. He was writing about the words Jesus spoke to the woman at the well. (John 4:13-14):

Jesus replied, “People soon become thirsty again after drinking this water. But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life”.

Chambers goes on to make a vital point: “If you find that His life is not springing up as it should, you are to blame—something is obstructing the flow. Was Jesus saying to stay focused on the Source so that we may be blessed personally? No, you are to focus on the Source so that out of you ‘will flow rivers of living water’—irrepressible life.”

I find it so much easier to tell God what I want or think that I need and forget that this life is actually not about me but about Him. He will always use the situation for His glory if I will put my focus back on Him rather than making myself number one. There is no greater joy than to see Him working in and through lives!

I trust that we will each be fountains in which and through which God can flow during this holiday weekend, as we have a little extra time to spend with friends and family.

Love to you all,

Chuck