Empty Cups | Fuel For The Weekend

I have been talking to a couple of my dearest friends. Both of my friends live in the western part of the United States, quite a ways from me. These friends have been sharing with me issues and situations they are dealing with in their corners of the world. They do not know each other, but if the three of us sat down in a room and had a good chat, we would realize we are very similar. It has been a dry season, spiritually speaking. One friend said, "My cup is empty and my plate is full." And I felt that in my very soul.

The world is still reeling with the pandemic. So much sickness and loss has been felt by many. Increased responsibility for loved ones who need more help and sometimes it feels like they are leaning too heavily on us. In some settings it seems like the distance is more than what is "socially" required. We can feel isolated and forgotten. As we continue to pour love, hope, encouragement, and strength into others around us, our cups become empty. We have to find our way back to the refreshing wellspring of life and His name is Jesus.

Do you remember the woman at the well? She went out to draw water when no one else would be around. She knew she had a bad reputation. She knew others would talk about her and ignore her or worse, make fun of her. She had been in one broken marriage after another and the one she was intimate with at the moment was not even her husband. I can imagine her cup had been dry for a while.

I love that Jesus does not leave us dry and discarded. He comes to give us life and hope and love and peace and joy and.... all the good things. He gives us living water that will never run dry but we have to stay connected to the water source.

Jesus knew the woman would be coming to the well. His disciples went into town, but Jesus hung around, waiting for her. I want to encourage you today that Jesus is waiting for you. He is not waiting for you in some distant place. He is waiting on you in the mundane chores you do every single day.

JOHN 4:7-15 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give Me to drink. (For His disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto Him, How is it that Thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and Who it is that saith to thee, Give Me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto Him, Sir, Thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast Thou that living water? Art Thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman saith unto Him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

The first key to getting your cup filled is to recognize that you are not the water source. Jesus is the giver of the unending water. Have you taken the time to lay your water pitcher down and talk to the Jewish stranger? Have you encountered His presence in your home among the piles of laundry and dirty dishes? Have you actually had a moment to give Him your time? He is waiting for you on purpose. He is wanting to give you a cool, refreshing drink.

The second key to a having a full cup is to realize Jesus has time for you. He wants to talk to you. You matter to Him. You are important and cherished by Him. He is not too busy for you. He is making time for you so take the time to spend with Him. It will not take up the whole day. You will still have time to do all the things. He is seeking you out.

The third key is to ask for the water. Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well if she had known Who she was talking to she would ask Him for a drink. Have you asked Him for a drink? He is able and willing. He has an endless supply and there is plenty of refreshing, renewing water just for you. He has a full cup with your name on it. He wants you to ask Him for it.

This water is going to carry us and sustain us through all the trials and hardships of this life. We have to stay connected to the source of the water. Otherwise cares of this life and tough circumstances will rip you away from the spigot. It is time to hold tight to the well of living water and His name is Jesus.

Practical ways you can stay connected to Jesus is having quiet time in His presence. Speak to Him. Do not ask Him for anything, just begin to praise Him for Who He is. Thank Him for the goodness and the mercy He gives. Tell Him how much you appreciate Him and how you cannot make it without Him. And the water begins to flow. Invite Him into your day and ask Him to take charge. Ask Him to order your steps and use you as His mouthpiece to your family and friends. Ask Him for a drink of the water and as you experience His presence, you will feel the sweet water rising inside of you. Do not let anyone or anything distract you from just being present with the King of kings and Lord of lords. Allow Him to have your entire focus. You will feel hydrated and strengthened.

It is easy to get away from the life-giving water source. It is easy to rush through Bible reading or to push back time you could have spent in prayer. We cannot be too busy to sit at His feet a while and learn about Him. Take the time to read the Bible and find out what He is really like. Read the red letters and you will discover the truth about who Jesus Christ is. Let Him give you a refreshing drink. You will never regret it.

God bless you friends.

~Bridgett Owens 

 

Clarity | Thankful Thursday

Thankful for clarity?

I have been fasting this month. I do not say that to boast, because I could not do that if it wasn't for the Lord helping me. I am on a 21 day fast where I have chosen to give up one of the biggest conveniences in my life: fast food. I am on the road a lot. I travel a lot for work. My schedule is such that I can be pretty flexible with my schedule so if I want to run through a drive-thru and grab something to eat I am able. Giving up fast food has turned out to be a bigger sacrifice that I first thought it would be. But something happens when we fast and pray. God always hears and answers our prayers, but when we add fasting to our prayer life, it takes things to a deeper level. God starts revealing things to us. I have been seeking clarity in some areas of my life and He is definitely bringing it.

My word for the year is FOCUS. This is quite interesting, because I thought it was PLANS at first. Turns out as I was seeking God at the altar that God spoke to my heart that I am to FOCUS on Him. He said He has great PLANS for my life this year. He will bring it all to pass as long as I remain laser-focused on His Word, His love, His goodness, His grace, and His mercy.

One of the things I got clarity on was my writing. I am to stay on task for writing three blog posts a week. I am also supposed to finish the last portion of edits so my book, "Who Wants The Bread," can be published and made available to anyone who wants a copy. I have had multiple people ask about the Youth Prayer Journals and so I am excited about getting those uploaded as well. The Youth Prayer Journals turned out even better than I expected. I give God all the glory and honor. It was absolutely His ideas and design.

If you need clarity today for something you are going through, turn to God. He will give you wisdom and help you make your decisions. He is for you and not against you. He wants us to ask Him for things we lack in our lives. He is there to strengthen us, settle us, and surprise us with His wonderful blessings.

HABAKKUK 2:2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

It is important to write down the vision we have for our future, including what God's plan is for our future. If we keep it simple and read it often, we can focus on where we are headed. God has done miraculous, wonderful, supernatural things in 2021 for us, but we are now in 2022. He is going to do big things this year, too. He has already done some wonder-working, awe-inspiring things this month. We have to keep the vision in front of us so we can run! We need to move forward rapidly to be a part of all that God is doing around us.

HEBREWS 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

We have to focus on Jesus and not take our eyes off Him. He is the author of our faith; it originated with Him. He is the perfecter of our faith. He finishes the work He has begun in us just like He said He would in Philippians 1:6. He endured the cross, so if we think this year is going to be all pleasant and delightful with no pain or discomfort, we are missing the work Jesus did on the cross. This year began with laying to rest my husband's uncle. We have had some fun times and happy moments so far this year, but it has not been without its share of disappointments and sad times, too. If we focus on Jesus, the rough times will be smoother and the good times will be even better.

COLOSSIANS 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

The more we keep our eyes on Jesus and focus on heavenly things we will be content with where we are now. Storms may rage around us and threaten to destroy our vessels but God is with us and we will survive. This verse is one I am memorizing this month. It is important to set the things we care about the most in heavenly storage. The key to getting clarity is to stop looking around at the circumstances, or checking bank statements over and over, and to avoid letting these trials get us down. I once read a quote that says, "Ships don't sink because of the water around them; ships sink because of the water that gets in them. Don't let what's happening around you get inside you and weigh you down." I love that quote. It is so true.

JAMES 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

What a great verse to encourage and uplift us. If any of us lack wisdom, we can ask our Heavenly Father, and He will generously give it to us without ridiculing us or putting us down for not knowing. I always disliked asking someone to tell me what something meant and then they end up making fun of me for not knowing. God never does that to us. He is willing and able to give us all the wisdom we need to navigate through this life.

I thank God for the clarity He has given me on many things already this month. What are some of the things you are thankful for today?

Stay thankful! God bless you!

~Bridgett Owens