2007-06-09

Each time the urge to cry comes, another thought springs up, saying 'don't be such an emotional wreck, you don't need to react to your emotions, you're redeemed from it all.' So the tears don't start. The smile goes up, the old facades back in place.

So tired at times, all I can do is relax in His arms, and let Him take it all away. Then He starts showing me why the tears never need fall in the first place, He brings me through it, above the reasons the urges stemmed from, above the storms that rage, and shows me His kheh'-sed, His ahab, His charis toward me.

The facade ceases to exist, the smile's now real, the emotions are now in line with the spirit, and I can once again give and bless.

"In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."
-John 7:37-38

Jesus first said for all who thirst, to come unto Him and drink. Thayer's definition of thirst is :
1) figuratively, those who are said to thirst who painfully feel their want of, and eagerly long for, those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, strengthened.

So for all who are tired, drained, washed out, emotionally, physically, spiritually, mentally, this statement calls out to all of us! It tells us where the stronghold is, where our support is, where our well is. The amplified Bible places it so beautifully,

"He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water.
-John 7:38

As we trust in Jesus, as we wholly rely of Him, as we cleave to Him, as we draw from this never ending well and drink, rivers of water shall flow out of us. [note: the plural of river is used, the simple act of just relying and drawing from Jesus can cause living water to overflow from us!] And these rivers of living water stem not from us, not from our abilities nor our doings, but they stem from Jesus, so the supply is inexhaustable! One of the coolest part is that now, not only we ourselves are blessed by the water drawn from the well, Jesus, the rivers that flow out of us can bless others, can touch lives, revitalise formerly arid lands.

Just as Paul said in 2 Corinthians,

"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."
-2 Cor 1:3-4

It's such a wonderful picture of Him, the comforter, that enables us to then comfort others. Just as He takes away the reason for me to tear, the reasons for the facade and instead puts in their place the reason to rejoice, the reason to love, the reason to bless, He does for all His children. He comforts us FIRST, that we might then comfort others. His concern is always for us first, don't think I've ever known another so in love with myself, that my welfare is top priority to Him, that we wants me to first be edified, comforted, fed, watered, before then letting me give.

So the tiredness falls away, His refreshing chases away the tears, chases away the pressure, and fills it with His unshakeable shalom FOR me. Words of Praise and thanks are all that can fill my mouth then, no reason for anything else =) Blessed be Your name, Lord, great Lover.

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