Bubbling Brook part 1
I think the expression is actually "babbling brook" because of the way it sounds; like a bunch of people babbling. But I'm tweaking it a little bit because I want to talk about what's inside coming out. What's inside coming BUBBLING out. Like a cup that has been filled to overflowing. Because that's how this everlasting, eternal, abundant, Resurrection Life works. We fill ourselves to overflowing with what we've been filled with and it comes out naturally. My key verse for this Rant series, and really my main thought for today, is John 7:38, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." The Message Bible puts is like this, "Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says." And the Amplified Bible, "He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water." So first things first, "belly," to me, means the heart. Which is how some translations render it. But if nothing else, it's what's inside. It comes from the depths. From our innermost being. Who we really are. And if living water comes OUT of us, that means it is IN us. And that means it IS us. So when we see someone thirsty, we don't need anything external. Remember we were talking about how people are desperate for something real? That's what we have. That's who we are. So just like when Jesus told His disciples to feed the multitudes... we have what people need. And when we believe in Him, it bubbles up out of us. Because when we believe in Him what's inside gets stirred up. It doesn't just sit dormant. It prompts us to move. Rest is NOT inactivity. Rest is Holy Spirit directed activity. And the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. He leads and guides us into all truth. He helps us to understand the truth that we know--the truth that God is love... and He loves you. The truth that the Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hands. And the truth that YOU are His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased. Guys, we fill ourselves with what we've been filled with by knowing it and believing it. By letting God love us so much that it flows out of us. Continuously. Naturally. Brimming and spilling. And bubbling. Here's an example: I was at work today, and I looked out the window of the school out into the playground. And I saw my son running past. I'm telling you... I couldn't keep the grin off my face. And my only thought in that moment was, "God I love that boy!" That love is always there. But seeing him unexpectedly stirred it up and it came bubbling out. I couldn't stop it. It was my natural reaction. And that's what love IS. Love is our reaction to BEING loved. Love isn't what we do in order to GET something. Love is what we do because we HAVE something. Because love IS giving. Receiving and releasing that love of God. Believing in Him--which MEANS believing in love--and letting what happens naturally... happen. Not forcing the living water (that everyone is thirsty for) out. But LETTING it out. By filling ourselves with it. By drawing it from the well with JOY. It's in there. And when you know it's in there, it comes out. It can't do anything else. It's not labor and works. It's not making something happen. It's rest and flow. It's natural. The love nature. Our true nature. Jesus. God in the flesh. Love in a body. God in YOUR flesh. Love in YOUR body. Filling you up and bubbling out!