Clogged ?

Last month, I had unintentionally withdrawn from writing and serving, sensing overcommittment and burnout. While in my self-imposed exile, I read about the Dead Sea, specifically that it is “dead” because the water doesn’t flow out.
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.God calls us to be rivers, not lakes; conduits of the blessings He has showered on us, not reservoirs. This winter, the drainpipe at our home was stopped up, frozen and immovable with the water that was made to flow freely through it. It wasn’t serving its purpose to receive from above and channel the water to the soil below.


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And neither are we if we receive the gifts that God has given us and keep them to ourselves. The Bible says that the gifts we are given are for the “common good1,” that is – they are given to us to share with others. If I am given a gift for teaching, what good is it if I keep it to myself? What about gifts of hospitality, mercy, leadership, giving, wisdom, faith, healing? We are told to “eagerly desire the gifts2” but what is the benefit of hoarding such gifts?
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There is no doubt that in this fast-paced, hyperactive society we live in that there is real danger of overcommittment. But the answer is not to withdraw completely. It is to achieve balance. If we’re stopped up, we can become stagnant, like the Dead Sea. Better to allow the Living Water from above flow freely to us and through us.
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A well-known phrase in chiropractic circles is ADIO – meaning that healing comes from “Above Down Inside Out.” It’s a perfect metaphor for how we should live our lives. We can’t be truly successful on the outside unless we are filled and flowing on the inside having received from above.
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Throughout Scripture, drink offerings were “poured out” to the Lord, and it is well-known that in his final letter, Paul referred to himself as being “poured out like a drink offering.3” But before that, in his letter to the Philippians, he made the same reference “even if I am being poured out like a drink offering …, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.4” This time, it was part of his message that God is at work in us5, and we ought to do everything without grumbling and complaining that we might be blameless and pure, shining like stars in the sky6. Wow, I wanna shine like the stars. How about you?
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Right now, I’m feeling a bit like the “little teapot” of song; Lord – tip me over and pour me out – that I might be filled again and again, and poured out again and again.

1- 1 Cor. 12:7
2- 1 Cor. 12:31
3-  2 Tim. 4:6
4- Phil. 2:17
5- Phil 2:13
6- Phil 2:14-15

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3 thoughts on “Clogged ?

  1. Hi Susan…. just getting back to some of my emails!!! I know I past the deadline for the giveaway but I did want to thank you for being so faithful to God's gift to you of writing… I so much enjoy Eternity Cafe… sometimes I laugh,cry or just take in what is written!!!! Again thank you for being faithful to your call,,,,
    Sometimes I feel we do need to take a short break or God needs us to work in a different area…I just had that happen recently… our church has an Upwards basketball program… for the last several years I helped coach kindergarden girls… I loved it but it involved getting out of work a little early which wasn't always so easy soooo I would be a bit stressed getting there knowing I left some work undone….. so this year I passed on the coaching and worked each Saturday in the canteen at Upwards… it was a hard decision because loved the interaction with the girls, but I had such a blessed time in the canteen!!!!!!!!!!!! So you were right in your email today that the water needs to keep flowing!!!! Sometimes little changes are good!!!!!!! Have a truly blessed day…. hugs Audrey

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