The uncontainable goodness that pours from the person who comes to Jesus
When waters covered the earth and the earth waited in darkness. the Spirit of God swept over the waters like a wind. When wickedness grew great on the earth and every inclination of men’s hearts was only evil continually, the Spirit of God struggled against the imaginations of men’s hearts to restore goodness and it could not be, for mankind did not will it to be so.
When God started over with a rescued remnant of humanity the Spirit of God moved among the people less frequently, coming upon a person for a purpose, filling an artist, strengthening a warrior, instructing a leader. When wickedness again grew great on the earth the Spirit of God came upon the prophets they spoke by that Spirit. Their speech was a recitation of cause and effect; idolatry, injustice, cruelty and violence would produce stronger and more powerful evil until people were destroyed by what they had produced. No one listened, their minds were obsessed by their struggle for power, and their freedom had been curtailed by their possessions. At such a time as this, the prophets begin to declare that God’s good purposes will not be defeated and that God will continue to act in history restraining the wrath of mankind upon mankind, and gaining his own intentions even in the presence of perverted power and blind unreasoning cowardice.
The prophets declared that God was getting ready to do no less than, pour out his Spirit upon humans. He was getting ready to restore the damage that evil had done to people and to enlighten their thinking until justice (equity) poured down like a river upon the earth. Until people became motivated by co-operation rather than pride, and until the union between God and man was restored and the people adventured upon the earth accompanied by God who would lead them to greater good than they had hereto understood.
Jesus, standing up in a country synagogue, declared that the Spirit of God had come upon him for a purpose, that he was sent to release the people held captive and to give sight to the blind and free the oppressed. Three years later, Jesus came to the crowded temple on the last great day of the Feast of Tabernacles. When the water was carried in from the artesian spring and poured over the alter, Jesus suddenly and uninvited announces in a loud voice: “Whoever is thirsty come to me and out of his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.” The people hearing him broke into arguments about who he was and what right he had to speak, eventually they all went home.
Water: cleansing, nourishing, essential fluid: is there a spiritual equivalent? People think so in the first great flush of their own spirituality, when their own creativity breaks loose, and great intentions and wonderful visions spring up in them from some deep and hidden part of their being. They feel that something like a flood has broken loose and although it comes from them it overwhelms them.
But it dries up, it cannot be sustained in times of spiritual dryness, when hopes are dashed and people remain unbelieving and indifferent to the vision and the creativity, then the person's spirit is quenched, then the person falls into inactivity and disillusionment. Inside the broken spirit withers and outside the person grows fat and listless.
But the Spirit of God comes from beyond oneself, inexhaustible and incorruptible. It is given to the soul that seeks harmony with God. God pours out plentifully, his own good spirit upon the dry, parched spirit of the person united to him. Even when and if sorrow, fatigue and discouragement dry up the person’s own spirit. The Spirit of God still pours, stronger in our need, upon those who trust in God through the mercy of the son.
It is strange, but God-like, that when a person is most stressed from the forces around him or her this Spirit flows out from them in a sweetness that is surprising. It is strange but God-like that when everything is exhausted and all seems lost that this Spirit pours into and fills the person who waits on God. What has been poured out flows out, refreshing all around. It is this activity which keeps the person united to God from being overcome by the temptation around them, or beaten down by the strength of the evil that presses on him.
Every form of self-fulfillment or self-rescue, every religion, requires that a person do something to heal themselves, fulfill themselves or learn the mystery. Only Christ says that nothing is required of us. Only ask (since asking implies belief and co-operation) and the Spirit of God himself will come to us, and do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. God’s good Spirit will take up residence in the deepest parts of our being and because the Spirit of God is too great to contain, will gush out in joyful rivers of creative fairness, love and mercy until the earth is restored and the people know their God.
The gospel of John chapter seven: verses 37 to 38
The Promise is given in: The book of Joel chapter two, verses 28 and 29
And in Isaiah chapter thirty-two verse 15
Isaiah chapter forty-four verses 3 – 6
Ezekiel chapter thirty-nine verse 29
Ezekiel chapter thirty-six verse 27
Jesus as the bearer of the Spirit: Isaiah chapter forty-two verses 1- 4
When God started over with a rescued remnant of humanity the Spirit of God moved among the people less frequently, coming upon a person for a purpose, filling an artist, strengthening a warrior, instructing a leader. When wickedness again grew great on the earth the Spirit of God came upon the prophets they spoke by that Spirit. Their speech was a recitation of cause and effect; idolatry, injustice, cruelty and violence would produce stronger and more powerful evil until people were destroyed by what they had produced. No one listened, their minds were obsessed by their struggle for power, and their freedom had been curtailed by their possessions. At such a time as this, the prophets begin to declare that God’s good purposes will not be defeated and that God will continue to act in history restraining the wrath of mankind upon mankind, and gaining his own intentions even in the presence of perverted power and blind unreasoning cowardice.
The prophets declared that God was getting ready to do no less than, pour out his Spirit upon humans. He was getting ready to restore the damage that evil had done to people and to enlighten their thinking until justice (equity) poured down like a river upon the earth. Until people became motivated by co-operation rather than pride, and until the union between God and man was restored and the people adventured upon the earth accompanied by God who would lead them to greater good than they had hereto understood.
Jesus, standing up in a country synagogue, declared that the Spirit of God had come upon him for a purpose, that he was sent to release the people held captive and to give sight to the blind and free the oppressed. Three years later, Jesus came to the crowded temple on the last great day of the Feast of Tabernacles. When the water was carried in from the artesian spring and poured over the alter, Jesus suddenly and uninvited announces in a loud voice: “Whoever is thirsty come to me and out of his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.” The people hearing him broke into arguments about who he was and what right he had to speak, eventually they all went home.
Water: cleansing, nourishing, essential fluid: is there a spiritual equivalent? People think so in the first great flush of their own spirituality, when their own creativity breaks loose, and great intentions and wonderful visions spring up in them from some deep and hidden part of their being. They feel that something like a flood has broken loose and although it comes from them it overwhelms them.
But it dries up, it cannot be sustained in times of spiritual dryness, when hopes are dashed and people remain unbelieving and indifferent to the vision and the creativity, then the person's spirit is quenched, then the person falls into inactivity and disillusionment. Inside the broken spirit withers and outside the person grows fat and listless.
But the Spirit of God comes from beyond oneself, inexhaustible and incorruptible. It is given to the soul that seeks harmony with God. God pours out plentifully, his own good spirit upon the dry, parched spirit of the person united to him. Even when and if sorrow, fatigue and discouragement dry up the person’s own spirit. The Spirit of God still pours, stronger in our need, upon those who trust in God through the mercy of the son.
It is strange, but God-like, that when a person is most stressed from the forces around him or her this Spirit flows out from them in a sweetness that is surprising. It is strange but God-like that when everything is exhausted and all seems lost that this Spirit pours into and fills the person who waits on God. What has been poured out flows out, refreshing all around. It is this activity which keeps the person united to God from being overcome by the temptation around them, or beaten down by the strength of the evil that presses on him.
Every form of self-fulfillment or self-rescue, every religion, requires that a person do something to heal themselves, fulfill themselves or learn the mystery. Only Christ says that nothing is required of us. Only ask (since asking implies belief and co-operation) and the Spirit of God himself will come to us, and do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. God’s good Spirit will take up residence in the deepest parts of our being and because the Spirit of God is too great to contain, will gush out in joyful rivers of creative fairness, love and mercy until the earth is restored and the people know their God.
The gospel of John chapter seven: verses 37 to 38
The Promise is given in: The book of Joel chapter two, verses 28 and 29
And in Isaiah chapter thirty-two verse 15
Isaiah chapter forty-four verses 3 – 6
Ezekiel chapter thirty-nine verse 29
Ezekiel chapter thirty-six verse 27
Jesus as the bearer of the Spirit: Isaiah chapter forty-two verses 1- 4
posted by Jessie Coates at 6:53 AM
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