Recently I've been learning about being all in. About living life fully. About pouring out until that which I am pouring into is overflowing. About giving everything I have. It's an interesting concept that can easily be brushed aside in our busy American lives. We have all these different clubs and groups and jobs and obligations, and it's easy to slice our time and energy into small pieces and distribute.... but when I think about Jesus and the way he lived I see that He gave his time and attention to whoever he was with in that moment. He kept speaking until everything that needed to be said was said... He didn't leave anyone half healed - he stayed until his job was complete, and when it was complete he moved on to the next thing.
I think this might be my favorite thing about Jesus. He never did anything half-way. He made everything full and complete. For example, in John 6, Jesus sees a large crowd of over 5000 people coming his way and they're all hungry. Jesus turns to Philip and asks him where they can buy enough food to feed all of the hungry people. It was more like a quiz than an actual question... Jesus already knew how he was going to solve the problem but He wanted to know what Philip's advice would be. Philip's mind immediately went to logistics. He started crunching numbers and decided it would take over 6 months worth of wages in order to feed all of these people... But Jesus was in the business of taking the impossible and illogical and creating a mind-blowing masterpiece. Another disciple had found a small boy with a lunch of five loaves of bread and two fish... about equivalent to a lunchable. Jesus knew he could use that. He told everyone to sit down, He gave thanks to God and then took the small boys lunch and started distributing it to the masses, allowing them to eat as much as they wanted until they were full. When everyone had eaten as much as they could, there was enough food left over to fill twelve baskets.
This is how Jesus works. He's in the business of supernatural provision. He does immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine in our wildest dreams. He doesn't do things half-way. He does them until they're overflowing.
I think we have to live our lives this way. Especially as the church. Very rarely do people reach out for help so when they do risk the chance of being rejected or turned away, it's incredibly important that we meet them where they are and we give them one hundred percent of what we have to offer. God never leaves us empty... when we pour out, he fills us up again.
I want to live a life where the people around me are full to the brim; a life where I'm continually asking God to refill me so I can pour back out. The opportunities are in every day decisions. It's a choice to be intentional and to be present.
It's beginning to hit me that this is my last year of school... I have one more year on this campus before I'm surrounded with new scenery. I have about ten classes left to take... ten teachers, ten class rooms. This year I'm asking God to unleash his power and blessing in my life. To open doors to relationships and potential jobs that no man can shut. I really believe he's about to blow my mind. He's going to fill me up to the brim so that my life is overflowing. I want to learn more this year than I have in the past three... in class and in life. I want to meet unlikely friends, go unlikely places and dream unlikely dreams. I want to write a book. I want to empower women. I want to live in an abundance of joy. I'm on the homestretch of this college marathon and my time clock is ticking... I want to make the most of every opportunity to give what I have to every person I meet.
Maybe you're in the same position as I am, or maybe you're about to start a new job. Maybe you're about to be a freshman in college, or you've taken on a new position at your church. Maybe you just found out you're going to be a mom, or maybe you're the new member educator of an incredible organization - wherever you find yourself: you have the ability to fill the lives of others to the brim and it's a decision you make each and every moment. You were hand picked and ordained by God to be in this very place at this very time and He has a whole lot to teach you. You are a powerful force because of Jesus who is inside of you. He will take you on the wildest ride, and reveal to you the unthinkable if you'll choose to explore with him.
He's asking us to join in on his distribution system. He never runs out, and he never stops until all are full and complete. You are a part of this story. Start pouring.
I think this might be my favorite thing about Jesus. He never did anything half-way. He made everything full and complete. For example, in John 6, Jesus sees a large crowd of over 5000 people coming his way and they're all hungry. Jesus turns to Philip and asks him where they can buy enough food to feed all of the hungry people. It was more like a quiz than an actual question... Jesus already knew how he was going to solve the problem but He wanted to know what Philip's advice would be. Philip's mind immediately went to logistics. He started crunching numbers and decided it would take over 6 months worth of wages in order to feed all of these people... But Jesus was in the business of taking the impossible and illogical and creating a mind-blowing masterpiece. Another disciple had found a small boy with a lunch of five loaves of bread and two fish... about equivalent to a lunchable. Jesus knew he could use that. He told everyone to sit down, He gave thanks to God and then took the small boys lunch and started distributing it to the masses, allowing them to eat as much as they wanted until they were full. When everyone had eaten as much as they could, there was enough food left over to fill twelve baskets.
This is how Jesus works. He's in the business of supernatural provision. He does immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine in our wildest dreams. He doesn't do things half-way. He does them until they're overflowing.
I think we have to live our lives this way. Especially as the church. Very rarely do people reach out for help so when they do risk the chance of being rejected or turned away, it's incredibly important that we meet them where they are and we give them one hundred percent of what we have to offer. God never leaves us empty... when we pour out, he fills us up again.
I want to live a life where the people around me are full to the brim; a life where I'm continually asking God to refill me so I can pour back out. The opportunities are in every day decisions. It's a choice to be intentional and to be present.
It's beginning to hit me that this is my last year of school... I have one more year on this campus before I'm surrounded with new scenery. I have about ten classes left to take... ten teachers, ten class rooms. This year I'm asking God to unleash his power and blessing in my life. To open doors to relationships and potential jobs that no man can shut. I really believe he's about to blow my mind. He's going to fill me up to the brim so that my life is overflowing. I want to learn more this year than I have in the past three... in class and in life. I want to meet unlikely friends, go unlikely places and dream unlikely dreams. I want to write a book. I want to empower women. I want to live in an abundance of joy. I'm on the homestretch of this college marathon and my time clock is ticking... I want to make the most of every opportunity to give what I have to every person I meet.
Maybe you're in the same position as I am, or maybe you're about to start a new job. Maybe you're about to be a freshman in college, or you've taken on a new position at your church. Maybe you just found out you're going to be a mom, or maybe you're the new member educator of an incredible organization - wherever you find yourself: you have the ability to fill the lives of others to the brim and it's a decision you make each and every moment. You were hand picked and ordained by God to be in this very place at this very time and He has a whole lot to teach you. You are a powerful force because of Jesus who is inside of you. He will take you on the wildest ride, and reveal to you the unthinkable if you'll choose to explore with him.
He's asking us to join in on his distribution system. He never runs out, and he never stops until all are full and complete. You are a part of this story. Start pouring.
