Category: Faith

  • Living Water – the water that truly refreshes

    Fossilised plants and leaves - McAbee Fossil Beds, BC
    Fossilised leaves – Mcabee Fossil Beds BC

    It was summer, and I was up on the mountaintop, digging  fossilized fish and plants. Kathy opted to stay back on the valley floor with the dog, where it was relatively cool and shady.

    The dig was on private property and appropriately licensed. I toiled away for a couple of hours baking under the sun and realized I had left my water bottle in the car.

    Eventually, I made my way back down the winding path, carrying several ore bags full of samples. I was parched to the point of feeling weak. Kathy met me at the bottom with a cold bottle of water fresh from the cooler. 

    I don’t remember a bottle of water ever tasting that good before.

    In most of North America, we take fresh drinking water for granted. Very seldom, and even then for no more than a couple of days, have I not had plenty of water to drink on demand.

    The people of the Middle East are accustomed to the experience of being thirsty. They are aware from personal experience how personal a commodity is.

    They know how refreshing a cold drink of water can be on a hot day.

    Two of the more common biblical metaphors for the love of God are water and living water.

    You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me. “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:1-3 ESV

    Jesus said to her, “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.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”  John 4:13-15 ESV

    The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. Revelation 22:17 ESV

    Remember a time when you were the hottest and thirstiest you have ever been. Now, picture the refreshment of a cold glass of water.

    That refreshment is nothing compared to the refreshment from the well of salvation. The Lord’s living water refreshes like nothing else ever will.

    Allow your thirst for love, forgiveness, and acceptance to be eternally satisfied by His living water.

    Drink deeply.

    Be Blessed

    Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

    Kevin

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  • Beautiful Feet – The responsibility and blessing of gospel proclamation

    Mount Baker

    One of the things I enjoy about living in Abbotsford is that  we have mountains on three sides of us. From almost anywhere in the community, I can see mountains.

    Some people find mountains boring because “they never change,” but I think they need to open their eyes. I find them fascinating. The view of the mountains constantly changes with the season and even moment by moment. Differing weather patterns highlight or hide vistas, and the changing light of day changes their color.

    The dominant mountain view is Mount Baker, which is to the southeast of us in Washington State. Sometimes, when the weather is right, you can even see the steam coming from a vent on this glacier-covered volcano.

    When I looked at it yesterday, a familiar bible passage came to mind.

    Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here I am.” How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness , who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”  Isaiah 52:6-7 ESV

    The idea of beautiful feet might seem strange today, but it made a lot of sense in the days of watchmen in towers. The watchman could see a messenger running towards them from a great distance. I can imagine one racing towards the king’s palace, running full out, feet flying, eagerly looking forward to telling of victory on the battlefield or other good news. What an incredible sight indeed.

    Isaiah goes on to share the prophecy about the good news of the Messiah to come.

    The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion. Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. As many were astonished at you—his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—so shall he sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths because of him, for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand. Isaiah 52:7-15 ESV

    There is no more powerful message, no greater news to those who would hear that Jesus has come to set us free. In Isaiah’s day, the Messiah had yet to appear but was promised by God, who cannot lie. Today we know that the Christ has been, died, resurrected and ascended into heaven. We are saved and waiting for His return.

    What wonderful news, indeed.

    May you be the one with beautiful feet to tell someone about the Lord who will redeem them if they trust in Him by faith.

    Be blessed

    Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

    Kevin

    Gleanings From The Word
    Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

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