The
Far-Reaching Rivers of Life
He who
believes in Me…out of his heart will flow rivers of
living water —John 7:38
A river reaches places which its source never knows. And Jesus
said that, if we have received His fullness, "rivers of living water" will flow out of us, reaching in
blessing even "to
the end of the earth"
( Acts 1:8 )
regardless of how small the visible effects of our lives may appear to be. We
have nothing to do with the outflow— "This
is the work of God, that you believe
. . ." (John 6:29).
God rarely allows a person to see how
great a blessing he is to others.
A river is victoriously persistent, overcoming all barriers.
For a while it goes steadily on its course, but then it comes to an obstacle.
And for a while it is blocked, yet it soon makes a pathway around the obstacle.
Or a river will drop out of sight for miles, only later to emerge again even
broader and greater than ever. Do you see God using the lives of others, but an
obstacle has come into your life and you do not seem to be of any use to God? Then keep paying attention to the Source,
and God will either take you around the obstacle or remove it. The river of
the Spirit of God overcomes all obstacles. Never focus your eyes on the
obstacle or the difficulty. The obstacle will be a matter of total indifference
to the river that will flow steadily through you if you will simply remember to
stay focused on the Source. Never allow
anything to come between you and Jesus Christ— not emotion nor experience—
nothing must keep you from the one great sovereign Source.
Think of the healing and far-reaching rivers developing and nourishing
themselves in our souls! God has been opening up wonderful truths to our minds,
and every point He has opened up is another indication of the wider power of
the river that He will flow through us. If you believe in Jesus, you will find
that God has developed and nourished in you mighty, rushing rivers of blessing
for others.
Taken from My Utmost
for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. copyright 1935 by Dodd Mead & Co.,
renewed copyright 1963 by Oswald Chambers Publications Assn., Ltd., and is used
by permission of Discovery House Publishers,