Don’t Get Clogged, Die Empty

 

Fill up so I can pour out. Let God’s love pour into me so I can pour love onto others. My goal is to die empty. No way do I want to sit on my spot and receive His love, grace, and mercy and not get up, get out and give the same to those around me. 

This image of a water heart has been one of my favorite images for decades. I always thought I would have it as a tattoo. Perhaps someday that will happen. But more important than capturing it on my skin is to live it out in my life. God’s love comes in so that I can pour it out onto others. 

Know Him to make Him known is my life’s goal. Grace is getting what I don’t deserve. Mercy is not getting what I do deserve. These are gifts I receive from God so why do I fail to give the same to others? The answer is that I am human and flawed. Striving toward pouring out what I receive is the goal and a process. Practicing helps me take a step back from clogging up. 

My hope as I grow into my golden years is that I choose to get up and go living each day to the fullest. Creating a yes attitude rather than a not today one. It is important to sit in my time with Jesus each day. Equally important is writing my heart on these pages in keeping me balanced. But I don’t want to fill up with His love and not pour it out. No clogged heart for me please. The goal is to die empty since that means I never stopped pouring out to others.

 Pouring out to empty takes great faith. It has to come with the knowledge that there will always be more coming. It is said that you should always return from a hike with a few swallows of water left in your canteen. That is because there is clearly no opportunity to fill up while you are hiking. It is also in case an emergency arises that prevents you from returning at your scheduled time. This would mean you would need that bit of water to sustain you. But unlike the water in a canteen, God’s love is limitless and will always refill what is poured into others. So I can confidently give of my time, resources, and talents so others can be pointed to Him. 

Die empty keeps me from getting clogged up. Heck, none of us wants a clog. That is when a plumber is called to get the flow flowing. Even the visual of flowing freely like a stream is more pleasant than a stagnant pond that breeds mosquitos. Hmmmm that image may have been more appropriate than a water filled heart. But you get my point. I am going to choose to live free and die empty. 

In Him,

Joyful

11-29-22