“… WELLING UP TO ETERNAL LIFE”
We read today John’s rather detailed account of the visit Jesus and his disciples made to Samaria; it laid the foundation, we suspect, for the initial preaching effort of the apostles outside of Jerusalem (Acts 8 v.4-25). We noted especially the teaching of Jesus, first to the woman at the well and then to the people who heard his teaching as he stayed on in the place for two days. As a result “many more believed because of his word.” and “said to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world’ ” (4 v.41,42)
His conversation with the woman started beside the well and the need for some natural water – how few realize today the urgent need for spiritual water! Jesus said to the woman, “The water that I will give him (her) will become … a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” [v.14] It is clear that the ‘spiritual water’ is the message of Jesus. It is not a matter of taking one glass of this spiritual water, but of continual drinking so that the “water” starts to direct the thinking and attitude of the person, truly “a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Have you developed a “spring of water” in your heart and mind – or are you in the process of doing so? Verses in today’s chapter in Proverbs are excellent examples of this spiritual water, for example v.11 & 12, “He (or she) who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is gracious, will have the king (Jesus!) as his friend. The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge …”
Our world is floating in a sea of ‘knowledge’ but hardly any of it has a spiritual flavour – much of it the opposite! “Apply your heart to my knowledge, for it will be pleasant if you keep them withinyou, if all of them are ready on your lips.” [v.17,18]
You and I will do this if we really desire – in our heart – that which will increasingly direct us towards possessing “a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” Proverbs 22v12 tea us that the LORD preserves knowledge. We can see evidence of that in the very Bibles we are able to hold in our hands, that has cost lives.
God has done his part, we are to do ours (v17):
"...APPLY thine heart unto my knowledge"..... So that "thy trust may be in the LORD".
The wonderful result (20-21):
"Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge"
So that...
"I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth"
So that...
"thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?"
We have other places in scripture which speak of speaking to our neighbours (those who we come into contact with), the word of truth. To be able to do this we need to firstly apply our hearts to Gods word of truth to be able to teach it.
We remember these wonderful words "(God) Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth".
No comments:
Post a Comment