Full of It part 5
We are absolutely full of it. Filled to overflowing with the love of God. The love that IS God. But the trick seems to be getting what's inside to come out. Because we don't always act like we love each other. So let me make it as simple as I can (and notice I say SIMPLE, not "easy.") John 7:38 in the English Standard Version says, "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" Did you catch the catch? We ARE filled to overflowing. That's the truth of the matter. But BELIEVING what is true is what makes it true... for you. Remember how we started this Rant series? I said, "What's inside comes out. Or rather, what you BELIEVE is inside comes out." Love is in there. Make no mistake. But until you know it and believe it you'll always feel like you don't have it, and you'll always try to get it. And if you're trying to get something you've already got, what you're really doing is robbing yourself from experiencing and enjoying it. When Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber" (John 10:1), He was talking about US robbing OURSELVES of the gift we've been given by trying to earn it through human effort! He was talking about us missing out on what we've already been given. Freely given. Filled to overflowing with. Remember the picture of the light? A light doesn't try really hard to shine. It shines because it's connected to a power source. God is the source and we are connected to His unlimited supply because we live in Him and He lives in us! He is the vine and we are the branches. What He produces--love--flows into us and out of us. Out of our hearts, a river of living water FLOWS... when we believe. Not when we earn it. Not when we behave in a certain way. (Even though what we believe DOES dictate our behavior.) Everything you do and everything you are flows from what you believe. When you know and believe the love of Christ... that's when what's inside comes out. Naturally. That's when you can stop trying to enter the sheepfold any other way and you can enter through the door. Jesus is the door. The heart is the door. And look at Revelation 3:20 (NLT), ""Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends." Look how simple Jesus makes it. He wants our hearts to be open to love... so He stands at the door of our heart and knocks! He told us about love and then He showed us love. He gave His life for us and He gave His life TO us. Love is an open door, as the movie says. And an open door lets what's inside flow out. With no restrictions. No limits. We have been filled to overflowing and what's inside is too good to keep to ourselves. It's a love that you just want to give away. To share. It's a love that we've been filled with. And now that we're full of it, we can walk in newness of life. We can truly live, by being loved... and loving one another!