Turn the water on

Looking for a quote fit for a memorial service I stumbled on another gem that got me to thinking.

Louis L’Amour is credited with advising

“Start writing, no matter what.  The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”

Over the last year and a half or so God has spoken so many truths, shared some precious nuggets and gems that have ministered to my heart and often I was sure would bless another.  I knew I ought to share it, face to face with someone of via Facebook or even this blog or at least record it in my journal so I could come back to it, for later.  Sometimes I knew it was not just a matter of ‘I should share this as it might encourage someone else’, but I knew with an urgency ‘I need to share this now, today, it will be a timely word for someone who needs to hear it as desperately as I just did. 

Herein lies the problem…I never followed through.  I never called the people up who I hoped to encourage, never made the time to visit, never even typed up the revelation that I had found so engaging.  Never once took that step.  ‘I’ll do it later, I will remember, I could never forget such a profound and amazing truth’. My mind lied to me and lulled me into a false security. 

I knew I was being disobedient to the Lord’s leading….I knew from past teachings that part of continuing to hear from God is to respond to what He is telling you today.  He is still obviously speaking and ministering to me out of His word.  I glean much from the words of other sound Bible teachers and I still can discern that still small voice He whispers into our hearts with,   I figured I must not have failed Him to immensely He is still showing me cool things, though hoping I do more with them then set them on the shelf for some later date. 

A few weeks ago a message from Church went right along with something God had been teaching me some months ago and I again felt impressed with the need to share and so I started talking out loud in my truck imagining how I might share and I found I could not grasp the gem I had so treasured in my heart months earlier.  It was still there, I knew it’s content and how it spoke to my life and my future, but I could no longer recall it with vivid clarity.  Talking with a friend the other day something she said reminded me of another truth God had taught me and I hoped it would meet a need in her heart.  I opened my mouth to speak but the thought flitted away from me like a mouse might scurry through groping fingers.  I could touch it but could not articulate it.  It came out more like

 “You know, I was reading this not long ago…it said……..um…well….it was so good, it reminded me of……uh….shoot,, never mind it is on the tip of my tongue but I cant recall what I wanted to say exactly…. Maybe late when I;m not trying so hard to remember the thought will come to me.

Talk about Brain Fog!!!! 

It is not that God has quit speaking He is a Father who loves His kids and is Faithful to teach and guide us….but my Spirit may be lacking in its ability to truly receive.  Perhaps I have grown hard-hearted, dull eared and close minded. 

We all know the allegory seen in the dead sea.  It is a body of water with water flowing in, but nothing flowing out and over the years it has become salty, stagnant and nothing can live in it.  From early on in our Christian walk we have been encouraged to give away the truth God has instilled in us not to let it stagnant in us 

I have been failing in that area.  I am gifted as a teacher, but really, I have not shared anything I am learning.  If you want to know the truth I have even really related to people in over a year.   I am still digging in the Word, (though not nearly as faithfully as was my habit).  Sadly, I never or at least almost never speak out the things that were once bubbling over in my heart.  It used to be easy to take a truth God had shown me and share it with others via words of my mouth or words through typing….but now I’m not sure if the water is still bubbling with passion and life or slowly simmering away.  I don’t want to be the DEAD SEA!!!!!

So when I stumbled on the Louis L’Amour quote I knew it was time to turn the faucet on, prime the pump if need be!  I am responsible to communicate the things God has been trying to teach me.  And Not put it off until later, or next week, or next year.   I have a lot of other things I need to start doing to, but this is a start!

I am hoping some of the things that God has spoken to my heart over the last few months will be repeated.  This time I will treasure them as life giving words from my King! And I will share them (unless they are for me alone) knowing they will bless others as well.