What’s In Your Cistern? Day 5

The New Year is a time for reflection and hope. This past year, we have allowed many influences to fill our lives. We dispense to others that which we have allowed to fill us. This reality reminds me of ancient wells in Southern Israel called cisterns.

What we take in to our cistern, that is our lives, matters greatly. What flows in, also must flow out. Retaining fluid can be as deadly as dehydration.

In John 7, Jesus made a shocking statement to the people in Jerusalem on the “thirstiest day of the year.” This day was the last of an eight day festival called Sukkot. (For more insight on this festival, read yesterday’s blog post.)

At this point the guards of the Temple were dispatched to arrest Him. Yet, He was not taken into their custody. They explained to the religious rulers, “No one ever spoke like this man!” This would not be the end of their attempts to arrest Him. Yet, what did Jesus say that amazed both those who would believe in Him and those who sought to arrest Him?

Jesus proclaimed, “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:37-39)

Jesus said that living water flows out of the heart of one who believes in Him. If we do not dispense what He puts within us, we are both disobedient to Christ and become spiritual sick. The same problem occurs in the geography of Israel. The Jordan River flows south into the Dead Sea, where water flows in but nothing flows out. The result is death and a salt content that is greater than the ocean.

At the trailhead for the Kaibab Trail that leads people down into the Grand Canyon, a park ranger stops each hiker for a “water check.” To prevent a crisis, each hiker is required to carry enough drinking water for the journey. But imagine if this public servant was not there. What if you were hike down with a large hydration pack on your back and you meet someone an hour later who is hiking back to the top of the rim on a hot July day. She asks you for some water, because she is depleted and still has a long, uphill hike. Would you refuse to give her the life-giving refreshment? Even if you supply was plentiful?

If our God is the ever-flowing spring and the Gospel of Jesus is the water, why would we withhold life from others?

Here’s a New Year’s Resolution to consider: In 2016, fill your cistern, that is your life, with the living water of Christ. AND, let what God places within you flow out to others. Tomorrow, I will look at the role of the Holy Spirit and how He works through us to bless others.

Questions to Ponder:
Who are you with everyday that is thirsty?
Are we intentional about finding those who are thirsty?

Prayer Point: Ask God to help you see the impact for the Gospel you could have on others.

If you missed the first three days’ posts, below are the links:
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Link to the Sermon I preached (12/27/15) on this topic.