Gimme, Gimme...Busted Pipes.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Gimme, Gimme…Busted Pipes. Snowmageddon has just about, officially, come to an end here in central Arkansas. The few inches of snow that remain on the ground are only in the grassy areas, and the roads are slowly but surely all clearing up. It’s still extremely cold, though. It got down to 12 degrees here last night, which means I took necessary precautions that I usually always take when temperatures drop that low: I left the sink steadily dripping in the bathroom.
Some would say, “But Blake, doesn’t it cost you more on your water bill to leave the water running like that?” Of course it does. But the cost of leaving it steadily dripping is nothing compared to the cost of replacing busted pipes that have frozen due to the cold temps! Granted, the pipes in this house are probably well insulated, I don’t like the risk. I want to make sure my pipes don’t freeze, so I do what has to be done. The secret: keep the water moving just enough to prevent freezing. There has to be a steady outflow.
There’s an undiagnosed condition in Christianity I like to refer to as “Dead Sea Syndrome.” It’s pretty prevalent in most all churches, actually. The only cure for it is real, Holy Ghost filled revival. The end result of it is death, and stagnation. It’s sad that this is such a common issue with so many who know Christ, but the truth is it is more present than we realize.
The Dead Sea is a body of water in the Middle East that is fed by good water, but is unable to support life. Its water has such a high salt content that nothing can live there – no fish, no plant life. Nothing. It’s literally a dead sea. Visitors to the area even find it fun to go out in the water because, due to the high levels of salt in the water, a person floats at the water’s top with ease. The reason for the Dead Sea’s stagnation? It has no outflow.
Once water arrives in the Dead Sea is stays in the Dead Sea. The sun evaporates the water as it does everywhere else on earth, and leaves the salt behind. This salt has nowhere to go, and so it builds up, and builds up, and builds up.
Just like water pipes, and just like large bodies of water – we need an outflow. We tend to spend our lives praying, “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” And I’ll be honest; I pray my fair share of this. I pray for God to give me wisdom, patience, strength, grace, mercy…etc. And I pray the same for others daily. And the fact of the matter is God is so faithful, and the more I seek Him, the more He pours of Himself into me. I love my God for investing in me like He does!
But our world is cold. And if there’s not a steady outflow from my life into the world, my pipes will freeze…and bust. My sea of life will become stagnant, and will not promote life. I’ll be so consumed with being a taker and saying “gimme gimme” that I’ll forget about what I’m called to be and do in a lost and dying world.
Bible study, prayer, quiet time, fellowship…these are all vitally important to the growing, vibrant life of a believer. But without giving, worship, service, ministry…we’ll be stagnant. We’ll be dead.
So today, join me in this challenge: I’m asking God to challenge me to open wider my outflows in life. I want to give more of what He gives me. I’m not asking for busted pipes and stagnant water. I want the River of Life to flow OUT of me into a world that’s dying of thirst.


That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake

This blog is brought to you courtesy of http://fromblake.blogspot.com. Visit today and sign up to become an official follower!
Feel free to write blake anytime at pastorblakeman@yahoo.com