A Long, Cool Drink of Water!

Reading time: two minutes.

I’ve learned how to hush a big crowd of pastors.  Ask, “So, how’s your private devotional life?”

We pastors know our Bibles and our theology quite well.  What’s sadly lacking is the personal devotional time of Bible reading, meditation and prayer.  The average times per week and amount of time spent quietly with the Lord is shockingly low, especially when you average in those who are faithful in their daily time with the Lord.

Let me encourage you to set aside time each day or to keep to your daily habit going with a couple of thoughts continuing our water theme from last week.

At the risk of taking an analogy too far, here are four quick thoughts on the daily draught of the Lord’s Word for personal, private reflection.

It’s what we’re made of.  Our bodies are 90% H2O, but we were brought into being by the creative Word of the Lord.  We were made alive again by that same powerful Word.  Peter reminded us this weekend, “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God” (1 Peter 1:23).  When the world vanishes to dust, we’ll remain.  We were made by the Word of God and remade by it again.  It’s who we are.

It quenches the thirst.  When my old sinful self starts running amok, I get dried out, exhausted and drained.  I thirst for an infusion of the new nature that is Christ alone.  It’s found in the Word.  My natural inclination toward sin and rebellion is kept at bay by the power of the Spirit penetrating my own spirit and He comes to me in the Word.  I thirst.  He quenches.

The life-giving water is good and pure and real.  My Spirit is flooded daily by the lies and deceptions of this age.  It’s like drinking gallons of the syrupy, but deadly, soft drinks and liquor that are poison to the life force within me.  God’s Word is true and what I need.  Daily reflection is like a tree drinking from streams of fresh water (Psalm 1).

It’s something to share.  Pastors are like a pitcher called to pour out life to others.  Unless I’m continually refilled and replenished at the Fountain of Life, I run dry.  I can only share what I’ve first received.

I’ll be praying for your time in God’s Word.  Enjoy your good, long drink.

Thanks for reading.

A Congregational Wellness Weekend is designed to help create a ministry environment at your church or school where professional church workers can thrive and serve joyfully in their calling at top capacity. Let’s start the conversation today! Find more information on our website or contact Program Director Darrell Zimmerman to learn more.