Jesus is the Water

"Get a glass and stand by the sink."

"Okay."

"I want you to fill half the glass with water."

I couldn't imagine what this had to do with anything, but I stood by the sink and ran water into the glass.

"Okay, you are the glass and Jesus is the water. Now talk to me theologically about the glass."

This had to be the dumbest illustration I had ever heard. Hadn't he heard me? I was hurting, for goodness' sake. What was I doing leaning over my sink, holding a glass of water?

I was so empty that all I could come up with was, "The water is in the glass."

"Good," said my patient mentor. "Now keep going."

"Jesus is in the glass. Jesus is in me," I squeaked through my tears and the ache in my throat.

"Who is in you, O child of God?"

"Only Jesus."

"Yes, only Jesus can fill you. Now hold the glass under the faucet and let the water run into it. Keep talking theology."

"The water is filling the glass. Jesus is filling me. Now the glass is full...the glass is running over."

"What is happening to the water?"

"It's spilling."

"Who is spilling?"

"Jesus is spilling over."

"Why?"

"Because the glass is full."

"Talk to me about you."

"Only Jesus can fill me completely, and when I am full of Jesus, I am overflowing...spilling onto everyone around me...sloshing out Jesus everywhere I go."

When I read this story, I couldn't help but picture myself, at my sink, crying my tears. And now, years later, this image still lingers. When I am broken, exhausted, worn down by life, I can imagine Jesus filling me if I ask. And I can see those around me, those that I love and those I don't even know, being blessed by the Jesus in me. I want to be the glass.

Because Jesus is the Water.

Story from Tender Mercies for a Mother's Soul by Angela Thomas Guffey.




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