I’m enjoying the last of the ‘nice’ weather on the porch swing. However, I was informed that my version of nice weather- low 80s and no humidity was not quite the same as the boy’s which includes sunny, 90 degrees and lots of humidity- in other words, perfect pool weather. But I’ll forgive him.

And I think how my definition of waiting (10 minutes or less would be just great!) is so much different from God’s (40 years to the promised land?!?) as is my definition of the word overflow. I see plumbing fiascoes, He sees faith spilling over– which actually sounds much more desirable.

But there’s that tricky issue of the showers of blessing that he promises which lead to the overflowing … sometimes the blessing is in the storm. The deluge. But still, Jesus meets us there just when we think the ship is about to sink.

Christ said, “Let us go to the other side”, not to the middle of the lake to be drowned. ~Dan Crawford

I’m sure the disciples weren’t busy reveling in how Jesus worded his invitation to set sail when faced with the wind and the waves and what would be their fate should their boat be torn apart?? How often do we fail to trust in the same fashion?

{images via The Graphics Fairy}

So here we all are waiting on something to be fixed, the job to be over (or started), the kids to be grown, the summer to start, the health to improve, insert your other creative waiting endeavors here ____, and life’s feeling a little leaky rather than full to the brim sloshing over with blessings.

Sure there’s lots occupy our time and distract us while we wonder how long and wander into uncharted depths. We double down on pouring in prayer and petitions. Music and meditation. We refuse to let work and worry keep us parched.

We live overflowing lives because the source of life, instead of the gifts (people, places, possessions and position) of life, bring us contentment. How? By leading us to the well that never runs dry. ~ Gary and Norma Smalley, It Takes Two to Tango

I reread 2 Kings 4 – the worrying widow, her empty pots and the promise to be filled.

One day the widow of a member of the group of prophets came to Elisha and cried out, “My husband who served you is dead, and you know how he feared the Lord. But now a creditor has come, threatening to take my two sons as slaves.”

“What can I do to help you?” Elisha asked. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?”

“Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,” she replied. 

And Elisha said, “Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors. Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.”

So she did as she was told. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another. Soon every container was full to the brim!

“Bring me another jar,” she said to one of her sons.

“There aren’t any more!” he told her. And then the olive oil stopped flowing.

When she told the man of God what had happened, he said to her, “Now sell the olive oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on what is left over.”

The question raised: how many more vessels could she have filled if her definition of “many jars” had been different?

I wonder how far she went gathering pots for her mission? Next door? The next town?

And I’m reminded with God there are no limits.

Last week in church a dear friend brought testimony fresh from a mission trip to the refugee tent camps set up in Greece. The primary task of her group: water distribution. In every sense of the word. She told how she saw the Holy Spirit poured out – peace, kindness, hope, love and joy – all in the middle of a vast canvass wilderness and overflowing all the way back home.

All earthly means of dependence can dry up. But God is never hindered by drought. He brought water from a rock after all…

As for our troubles, maybe they could instead be tanks- empty vessels ready to be filled if we would lift off the lids and let the living water pour in.

So a prayer and a song:

Father, like the widow gathering her pots near and far for oil, I bring all my troubles and trials to you- knowing you use them as vessels ready to be filled with your glorious blessings for all things truly work together for the good of those you have called unto yourself. Help me on the days when unbelief tries to block the filling and outpouring of your spirit. Help me to be open, the be still and know, and to wait on you to work. Wash me clean Lord- may worries and grievances be rinsed out so there is more room for your spirit to flow in. Fill us Father.

♥

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