A river has a source. It flows. It is not stagnant producing decay. If it encounters an obstacle in its path, it finds a way around it because the life force of the flow will not be hindered.
Jesus promises abundant life to all who believe on Him. He is our life source and promise keeper. John 10:10 Jesus declared “……I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”.
In John 4: 5 onwards, we read the dialogue between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well of water. Jesus spoke of the “living water” that He would give to all who would believe on Him. John 4:14 “But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst, it shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life”.
Jesus is the Source of that living water, a river of abundant life. Whatever obstacle of circumstance we encounter on our journey, Jesus, our River of Life, has the answer. He will make a way! Beware of refusing to bow to God IN our circumstances and diverting ourselves into a stagnant pool, out of His will. There is no life in stagnation.
God uses the fiery trial (1 Peter 1: 6-7) of our circumstances to test, change and purify our heart’s complaining attitude, to one of gratitude for His faithfulness to bring us through, working “all things together for good, (Romans 8:28) according to His purpose”, conforming us to the image of His Son, (v. 29).
Heart purity is seeing God in all things. Matthew 5:8 Jesus declared: “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God”.
How would you define this abundant life Jesus promised? Some appear to think it is promised for when we arrive in heaven, but it is a promise for our earthly journey with the Lord. In Deuteronomy 11 God spoke to the children of Israel through Moses, promising “days like heaven on earth”,(v 21), blessings promised to those who loved Him and obediently walked in His ways.
This promise of abundant life is not just for when things are going well. Paul and Silas accessed the Source and sang praises to God with bleeding backs from beatings, chained in a prison cell, (Acts 16:25). We may think we have a message for the world to know Jesus, but until we can live the message and demonstrate it in every circumstance at home or work in relationships, then we are nothing but the clash of a “sounding brass or tinkling cymbal” spoken of in 1 Corinthians 13. Our lives speak! What we are on the inside is demonstrated outwardly in the circumstances we encounter in our daily lives.
1 Peter 4:17 “For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God”. My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and I must be answerable to God first. God knows the meditations of my heart….. and also its secret shenanigans!
The abundant life Jesus promised flows freely when we are in the centre of God’s will. The record of Joseph’s life clearly shows God’s favour whether he was in Potiphar’s house as a slave servant, wrongly imprisoned in jail, and eventually, to second in command under Pharaoh in Egypt in a foreign land. God’s purposes will not be thwarted by the interference of men. Joseph found himself in circumstances he could not control, or choose, but God worked with him wherever he found himself, and the blessing of God was clearly upon him.
Many think the will of God is primarily geographical but the word of God declares: “In everything give thanks, for this is THE WILL OF GOD in Christ Jesus CONCERNING YOU”, 1 Thessalonians 5:18. IN everything, not necessarily FOR everything. Only as I bow to God in my circumstances that He has permitted to do a work in me, will I access the river of life in Christ Jesus, His abundant life. Get out of the way…..don’t stop the flow! In this position we discover anew the joy of serving Jesus, joy for our ongoing journey together with Him. Only God, in His omniscient purposes, knows what our tomorrows will bring, but for today, and every day, He requires us to “Choose life”, the life of His Son, Christ in you, the hope of glory!
Photo by Will Swann on Unsplash