" A particular town was known for its health, for the beauty of its gardens, and for the freshness of the many ponds and streams that flowed through its parks.
In this town there was one peculiar character, an old man. He would disappear for hours, heading off into the forest and up into the hills or into one of the parks. One morning the local constable found the old man dead. News of his death spread quickly throughout the town, but there were few who cared or really stopped to think about the passing of the old man.
The next summer, the town's people began to notice something odd. There was a bit of an odor in the air, the streams did not run quite as full, and the ponds and lakes began to grow much more algae. They could not recall this ever happening before. Another summer came, and the streams turned to a trickle, the ponds and lakes grew muddy and green, and the park gardens no longer bloomed. Sadness crept over this once lovely old town.
It was during this summer that a young lad of 15 began to wander in the hills surrounding the town. He remembered the old man he used to follow occasionally into the forests. He sought out the trail that the old man used to take. It had become overgrown with grasses and thistles in the two summers since the old man had died. Following the trail, though, the boy found an amazing maze of marshlands, streams, ponds, and springs that fed the streams. He also found that now the water outlets were blocked with leaves and debris.
The young boy trampled through and began to clear away debris that had piled up. The water began to flow. As he worked, he began to think about the old man. Is this where he went sometimes for days at a time? Was it his death that caused the change in the town?
No one knew exactly when the town began to come back to life, but some time during the summer, the streams and rivers began to flow more swiftly and purely. The boy knew that the old man had faithfully tended the secret source of the town's health. And now he knew his calling; he knew his task. This secret place was the "wellspring of life" for his town, and now it was his duty to care for it."
DEVOTION: It is the desire of Jesus to be the source of life in us from which all life flows. But the condition of our outward life- the part that everyone sees- is influenced by the condition of our hearts. There are a few types of "debris" that can block our hearts.
UNFORGIVENESS: dams up the human heart and blocks the flow of life.
DISRESPECT: hinders our prayers, shatters the spirit, and closes our understanding to the needs of others.
UNCONFESSED SIN: breeds fear and darkness.
DARKNESS: fosters secrets, binds freedom, and robs confidence.
If this spiritual debris is neglected and allowed to clog up our hearts, we become hardened and dry. The Spirit of God is not able to truly flow through us. Not only do we become stagnant, but our stagnation affects growth in those closest to us. The only solution is to clean out the clogs and keep the passageways clear. God shows us the way, but it is up to us to do the work.
This story as well as the devotional led me through a time of examining my heart. I had to really check my own motives; asking myself if I'm happy, content and joyful because of what I do? Like the other day I was hanging out with my baby brothers and I came to realize at that moment that I was purely happy. I had realized that there are times like when I'm talking to my brothers and they say things that just blow me away, or when I'm baking and find the joy at giving unselfishly to those who will eat my cookies, or when I'm having a chat with someone who just gets me! they understand what I'm speaking from the depths of my heart and they embrace my words and me through their love in return. Then I came to realize that if I were to place the source of my happiness, contentment and joy in my brothers, baking or people, then i'll never find happiness, contentment and joy only because these things are just that.. temporary happiness and joys.
And then it just clicked. If I am to find true happiness, true joy and true contentment then I need to go to the SOURCE of everything, God! Through seeing who I really am in the light of Christ allows me to see myself for who I really am. I am no longer broken, I'm made whole. I'm no longer lingering in the sins of my past, I'm forgiven. I'm no longer walking in darkness where I hide behind my mask of fears, but I'm made anew in His light and truth takes me captive in His love where there is no room to fear. I'm so much more whole, so much more content and so very loved! I'm captivated daily by His beauty. And I can confidently say that because of His love for me, that I don't deserve, but he looks past the outward me and sees the inner me, my heart and still loves me! This love gives so much more than anything and anyone could ever give. And it's only because of His love for me that I'm able to love in ways that I was never able to love before, in a 1 Corinthians 13 kind of a way: patiently, kindly, humbly, respectfully, never rude, always considerate, thoughtfully, not keeping any records of wrongs, not delighting in evil but rejoicing in the truth, protecting, trusting, persevering, hoping, faithfully and most importantly.. lovingly~ And because of The Source, I'm truly blessed.
"Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life"
-Proverbs 4:23
-Live Productively
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