EMPTY ME OF ME.

“Draw from me.” He says.

I am tempted to say “But I already did” but then the reality of each day’s struggles and need for constant refreshing and renewal strikes me and I am humbled because I see the need to say yes to the invitation; the call to drink from His well, the well that never runs dry. He loves me so much that He reminds me to come. He loves me so much that throughout the treasured word of God’s truth I see Him exemplify this. He was anointed and received affirmation from the heavens. (Matthew 3:17) He was the son of God and yet not once did He resign to comfort. Jesus could have said “It’s in my DNA” and not sought the Father but He didn’t. He still pursued communion to show us just how greatly we as mere men need to do the same…daily.

DIG YOUR HEELS IN

The New Years “energy wave” is probably beginning to wear out. The enthusiasm that you started with when you enrolled for that gym membership seems like a load too great to bear; that diet that you’ve been on for the last 7 or so days is beginning to feel distasteful and all the benefits that are meant to accrue from it seem unimportant, the bible plan you begun feels like a long stretch because life is beginning to feel busy; too busy in fact that you begin to question how you actually thought you would pull it off and there lies the problem. What happens when the “wave” wears off?

We begin to feel empty, drained and we wonder how we will get through the remaining months. I am learning that when I am empty, I have no ability to claim any sense of glory over any accomplishment. When I am empty, I can be able to fully embrace His power. When I am empty, I make room for Him which is why I pray that He empties me of me. We were never made to rely on our own knowledge or our own skills but we were made to be vessels, vessels that will need their master to function; I am insufficient. I am weak. I am inadequate. I am filthy. I am dependent. I get nowhere on my own . 

I am learning that He prefers me empty so He can pour His spirit on me. His Spirit that will invite me to crave and seek the things of God. We often lose the passion for Jesus because our cravings become diluted. Our perspective shifts because we fail to constantly drink from the well. Psalms 36:8 “They are saturated with the fatness of Your house, And You cause them to drink of the river of Your pleasures.” He Himself causes us to drink of Him as the river of water of life for our satisfaction and pleasure. Who wouldn’t want that?

Only when we are empty can we pray: fill my cup 

It is easy to rely on our knowledge and strength and fail to seek His provisions. He always extends gifts for us to receive, its only that we are too full (and full of ourselves) to receive these gifts.  Gifts in terms of strength, joy, peace and love.

The secret to abiding is knowing where to drink from. It is knowing what you allow to influence you. The only influence should be the leading of God’s truth;  In His word. The word is the ground that we find our well- Jesus, which is why it is necessary to make time to go drink. He is the only one who can quench the insatiable thirst of our souls and when we are spiritually sound and full, every other area falls into alignment that we can live out the promise of Isaiah 58:11 and John 4:15 where we stop drawing from other wells.

Our daily life is a life of drinking: we drink not only physically but also psychologically and spiritually. As we do this and that, go here and there, and take care of the things in our daily life, we drink. Our inner being is thirsty, and we continually drink.

I equate the need to drink from the well daily with the manna provision for the Israelites. It was provided each day, it could not be stored, it had to be eaten for that day (Exodus 16:19)

We need a fresh supply. We don’t live off of last years grace or mercy, each day He gives us anew. We do not store up love but we have to allow the Holy Spirit to pour love in us every day and teach us every day. The world is a corrosive place thus the great need to come to the well daily. The true well; not broken cisterns (Jeremiah 2:13)

Psalms 5:3 “At each and every sunrise you will hear my voice as I prepare my sacrifice of prayer to you. Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on the altar and wait for your fire to fall on my heart.

“Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up Lord! Come and quench this thirsting of my soul; Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more — Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!” 

Being emptied of ourselves is not a one time act. We become rid of “us” when we choose to drink from Him. Thus, he can eliminate all the pursuits of the flesh. To be strengthened in all the endeavors you have instore planned for the year, you need to come to the well daily. So invite Him to empty you of yourself that you may ask Him to fill your “cup” daily.

You are light and you are so loved. Stay Anchored and keep His light shining through.