I feel like Covid has given the entire world a chance to pause, access, and reset their lives. I think everyone’s circumstances and schedules have changed enough at times throughout this year that we have been forced to re-evaluate our priorities and take a second look at what is actually valuable to each of us. I’m wondering what you have learned. Have you found the hollowness of stuff? Do you recognize the slavery of busyness and packed schedules? Is time with people more precious than ever? Are you drowning trying to keep your head above water with work, remote learning, and home upkeep? Have some of your relationships been strengthened? Has fear gripped your heart in a new way this year? How about with God, has your relationship with Him changed in 2020? I wish we could all gather together to discuss our thoughts and the things we have learned in these past eight or so months. To be honest I think I am still processing through some of these questions, working to solidify the good learned and weed out the unproductive from my heart and life. I hope that we can all recognize the good in the opportunity that God has given us to pause and reset during this pandemic. I don’t know when we might get another year like this one in our lifetimes and I don’t want to waste this chance we have to get real about what matters most to each of us. (Don’t misunderstand me, I don’t wish to relive this year ever again…I just don’t want to miss God’s good gifts in the midst of this mess!)
This morning as I was reading I was struck by God’s offer to us in John 7:37. Jesus says to us, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! The scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart’. “ I love Jesus’ use of one of the most common and necessary things in everyone’s life to offer the Spirit and explain him to us.
-His offer is accessible to all. He starts with the word “anyone”. There are no qualifications beyond believing in him. His offer is not limited by time, country, age, race, ability, sex, means, or anything else besides choosing to believe in him.
-His offer is understood by all. Every person ever, experiences thirst. We know thirst every day since our bodies require fluid to function and live. Everyone who is old enough to understand knows that thirst is best quenched by water. Water is one of our most basic needs.
-His offer is plentiful. Rivers are bigger than creeks or brooks. He offers us generous amounts of “water”, more than we would ever be able to use in a lifetime.
His offer is actually the gift of the Spirit. In verse 39 it says, “When he said ‘living water’, he was speaking of the Spirit”. As I spend more thinking through the questions in the opening, I realize so much is cared for and cleared up in the gifts or fruit of the Spirit. Gal 5:16-25 takes about 2 minutes to read through and sums up the battle in our hearts between how we want to live and how we sometimes actually live. In verses 22-23 Paul lists the 9 characteristics that the Spirit produces in us when we belong to Christ. They are: self-control, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, kindness, patience, peace, joy, and love. I am going to get real here and go through the list of questions again and list the ways these nine fruit apply for me personally.
-Hollowness of stuff- When I have self-control I look for less stuff. When my heart has peace and joy, stuff is much less appealing.
-Packed schedule- It takes self-control to not say yes to every invitation, and faithfulness to properly evaluate each commitment. Peace inside allows me to not get tangled up in fear of missing out.
-People become a higher priority when I love with God’s love, when goodness and kindness rule.
-Drowning in responsibility- Self-control helps me tackle responsibility instead of looking for escape. God’s peace surpasses all understanding and allows me to move through impossible circumstances with power beyond my own. Being patient always helps, running my own agenda is selfish while taking time to consider others benefits all. (Often when I choose patience God often multiplies my time.)
-Relationships improved-For me gentleness takes a little more time. It is worth the time it takes. My choosing goodness and kindness are always going to improve a relationship. When I am filled with joy, it is endearing and encouraging to all. Patience in me allows for others needs to be considered and met. Love is the backbone of relationship.
-Fear-God’s peace changes my entire outlook. It doesn’t remove the issue, but has the power to turn my mindset 180 degrees.
The last question I think I’ll leave for each of us to consider on our own. How has your relationship with God changed during these past 8 months?