It is Thanksgiving today. My stateside friends are tucking into their annual feast of turkey (and shopping it seems). This reminded me of another feast and something one of the guests said that radically affects each one of us today, in wonderful ways.
John 7:37-38 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
The passage goes on to explain that Jesus was talking about the Spirit of God moving in to take up residence in believer’s hearts, and that His indwelling would become a Source of endless rivers pouring from the inner man out to the world.
Not a trickle, squeezed through intense concentration. Not even just a stream, meandering aimlessly and dripping over the edges every so often. RIVERS! Mighty rivers of divine power and inspiration flooding the soul, and the mind and the heart with heaven’s deluge.
Many Rivers
The Amplified translation says:
“From his innermost being shall flow continuously springs and rivers of living water.”
The Promise translation shouts loudly,
“All you thirsty ones, come to Me! Come to Me and drink! Believe in Me so that rivers of living water will burst out from Your within you, flowing from your inner being.”
We live in a thirsty world! People are desperate for truth and drinking at all the wrong wells – wells of polluted entertainment, sexuality, false and twisted religion, greed and pursuit of material gain. All of these wells can satisfy the inner craving for a moment, but leave the drinker sick and ultimately empty on the inside.
It is the living water water that we need. It is the bursting springs of life that the world is really seeking.
In the realms of the arts Christians must rise to take their place as pioneers and protagonists. Strong voices of purity and uncompromised compassion. Creative box breakers, unbound by the universe Maker flowing continuously within them with new ideas, concepts and inventions.
Too often the the edges of creative expression have pushed toward despair and disintergration. Now the call is ringing loud and clear for builders to bring hope back to the galleries. The siren is sounding for singers to fill the concert halls with heaven’s vibes. Airwaves arrested with deep truths breaking into mainstream media.
The time has come for light to break forth in the darkness. For Christian creativity to take up Jesus’ urgent call at the feasting table for the thirsty to come and partake.
Rivers of color, and sound, and word. Fresh fashions, new designs, divinely inspired creative solutions to problems in industry, art and architecture. Many rivers!
No longer whittled to a song on Sunday morning, or a nativity play, Christian artists will become all they are called to be, and like the rivers within them will burst forth in every direction!
My prayer today, and my thanksgiving, is for all my fellow artists and writers, that their giftings and anointing will find refreshment in Gods presence, and that the magnificence of the universe Maker will find full flow from their inner being. I pray that the rivers will continuously flow against the tide of darkness, pushing back every resistance, and that the light of inspiration will be their dwelling place.
I pray that we, as the Body of Christ, will become the Oasis in the desert. The drinking place for thirsty souls and spirits in need of salvation.
I pray that the Church will embrace creativity with fresh vigour, and that the divine deluge will begin in earnest. A revival in the arts, a new faith driven renaissance that will sweep multitudes from their hopelessness into a new life in Papa’s arms.
Happy thanksgiving.
Jesus still stands up on this feast day, and shouts his compassion call. Come and drink. Let the Holy Spirit baptise you today, and may His nature flow royally from your inner being to all you come in contact with.
