Refreshing

Through pretty much all my ministry, I believed and taught that we can be a PIPELINE to others of God's love. It's not about us it's about Him. It's about what He has to pour into hungry hearts. I taught that God wants to use us to pour through to the lost. Great concept, right?

But this year God allowed me to go the full length of that philosophy, to explore the ultimate result of that vision. I came to a place of extreme emptiness in which God allowed me to see the fallacy of this symbolic lifestyle. It was more a concept from man than a concept from God. Look again at the picture. The problem with the pipeline is it can never be a destination! True it is a conduit, but it will never be a destination. It is the image of a servant but it is not the relationship God desires for us.

In John 15:15 Jesus said, "I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father."

With this announcement Jesus was letting them know that he had changed their relationship to the Father forever! Mary understood this, Martha did not. When Martha became jealous of Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus, she ask Jesus to scold Mary. Instead Jesus said to Martha, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Mary had moved into a friendship relationship with Jesus. Martha was still a pipeline. Her identity was in doing. Mary's identity was in being "with Jesus".

I've heard if said, "Without Martha's nothing would ever get done. That's a lie! A lover will always outperform a servant. I've heard it said, "We need both Mary's and Martha's. That's not what Jesus said. You see Jesus did not take Martha's side because Martha was busy making sandwiches Jesus never ordered.

Mary valued the the presence of Jesus and lived on His Words of Life. Mary would only make the sandwiches Jesus ask for.

And so I came to the place of emptyness. It was in a prayer time with two intercessors in Australia seven months ago that I found myself sitting and receiving ministry. One gave me scriptures, words of encouragement, even words from a hymn - all of which were good. Still I sat.

The other lady then said, "I'm not a very good artist (as she held up a rough drawing) but as I was praying for you, I saw a basin. It was overgrown with algae on the outside, filled with water to the point where it overflowed itself to goblets circling it's base. The Lord seemed to say you are this basin giving out to others, but I am bringing to you a refreshing.

Then I saw another basin so beautiful, white porcelain and gleaming, pouring it's overflow to the goblets below. The Lord said This is what I am doing in your life."

I stared at the two pictures. In that instant God broke something in my Spirit.

In the past traveling around the world, ministering, I had even prayed, "Lord I am so tired, or dry, or sick. I feel I have nothing to give. But because you love these people so much give me something to give them." Because You love these people. I was just a pipeline. I was not the destination. I knew He loved them. I had lost the awareness of how much He loved ME!

But there it was, in that awkwardly sketched drawing.

I was NOT a pipeline!

I was a BASIN. A BASIN! I was His DESTINATION! His first destination. His heart was to fill me, to love me, to romance me! His furious, jealous, violent love was pouring out on ME!!! I was always His destination. This is what every lover knows and every servant envies. I was His destination. This was life changing.
I am His destination, as are YOU!

If I am His destination, then all I have to do is soak in His presence - relax - let Him fill me - enjoy Him. His voice comes easily, His caress is constant and as I fill, fill to overflowing the splash is felt by everyone I meet.

So get an umbrella - or get a swimsuit!