Consider the Galah

We have a lot of Australian Galahs where we live. They are even more popular when harvest is on, as they loving snacking on the grains lying around. Some give no consideration to how full they are, and usually only realise until it is too late {insert bird exploding cartoon here!}. (For more information about these galahs check out this informative website here.

Life can be a bit like that for us too!

We think the more we read about God, the more bible studies we are in, the more volunteer opportunities we sign up for, the more podcasts we subscribe to, the ‘fuller’ our lives will be with a greater knowledge of our Heavenly Father. – NOT SO!

Just at these birds keep greedily feeding so much so that they can’t digest their food in time, so it is easy for us too, and in reality become none the wiser.

So how do we choose what will stay and what will go?

The most important place to start is God’s Word. I think we don’t really give enough ‘credit’ to God’s Word.

[^LFor] God’s word is alive and ·working [active; powerful; effective] and is sharper than a double-edged sword. It ·cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined, to the centre of our joints and bones [^Lpenetrates until it divides even soul and spirit, joints and marrow]. And it ·judges [discerns] the ·thoughts [ideas] and ·feelings [attitudes; intentions] in our hearts. Hebrews 4:12

For some reason, we feel we have to distort it, re-explain it, make it relevant, or read other people’s perspectives on it to get any benefit. Some of these aren’t bad, but we need to be careful what proportion of time we give to these. Just because something has the word ‘God’ or ‘Jesus’ in it, doesn’t make it biblical or worthwhile.

Take a glance at some of the things circulating on Facebook at the moment – ridiculous claims! Self-esteem activists have a field day! Most of them set us up for disappointment, but while they temporarily make us feel good, we will re-post and share.

If you find yourself desiring God, wanting to be close to Him, and walking with Him – resist the urge to first seek ‘other sources’ – go to the Source. God’s Word alone will change you and give you all you need.

I am reminded of a number of prisoners over many years who were imprisoned with only a bible, or a book/page of the bible, or scriptures they had taken the time to impress on their hearts and commit to memory – and Oh how God blessed them and strengthened them during that dim time in their life.

So today, consider this:

“My people have done two evils:
They have ·turned away from [abandoned; forsaken] me,
the ·spring [fountain] of living water [17:13].
And they have dug their own ·wells [cisterns],
which are broken ·wells [cisterns] that cannot hold water [^Cthe idols, like the wells, are useless]. Jeremiah 2:13

and…

³ Jesus left Judea and started for Galilee again. ⁴ This time he had to go through Samaria, ⁵ and on his way he came to the town of Sychar. It was near the field that Jacob had long ago given to his son Joseph. ^6-8 The well that Jacob had dug was still there, and Jesus sat down beside it because he was tired from traveling. It was noon, and after Jesus’ disciples had gone into town to buy some food, a Samaritan woman came to draw water from the well.

Jesus asked her, “Would you please give me a drink of water?”

⁹ “You are a Jew,” she replied, “and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink of water when Jews and Samaritans won’t have anything to do with each other?”^[a]

¹⁰ Jesus answered, “You don’t know what God wants to give you, and you don’t know who is asking you for a drink. If you did, you would ask me for the water that gives life.”

¹¹ “Sir,” the woman said, “you don’t even have a bucket, and the well is deep. Where are you going to get this life-giving water? ¹² Our ancestor Jacob dug this well for us, and his family and animals got water from it. Are you greater than Jacob?”

¹³ Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again. ¹⁴ But no one who drinks the water I give will ever be thirsty again. The water I give is like a flowing fountain that gives eternal life.”

¹⁵ The woman replied, “Sir, please give me a drink of that water! Then I won’t get thirsty and have to come to this well again.” John 4:3-15

Until next time,

Erin