Pouring In
When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.
Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. 1 Corinthians 2:1-7
How do you utilize your electronics? I want to openly admit that I use them more than I should. Either on phone or computer, there are apps like Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram I spend lots of time on. It can be entertaining, educational, angering, and heartwarming sometime all in one day. What I have learned is that much like television or reading, you have got to control what you choose to take in. For example, I refuse to follow any individual on a platform who is toxic to my wellbeing. I am not saying they are not good for others, but when they stir something in me that more times than not puts me in a foul mood or causes me to think negatively on a consistent basis, I will have conversations with them about what bothers me. If that does not change things, I cut them loose. My relationships are the most important aspect of my life, and in a world that can be so negative, it is important to find people that bring value to your world. Nothing makes me feel better than talking to those who I am closest to, and they always pour into me what I happily pour into them.
The reason what gets poured in matters is because it builds patterns where any tool can be used to connect to God. Something that has been extremely useful is that through Facebook and YouTube, you can always get reminders of various church services on Sunday. On a bad Sunday, I catch at least two sermons and on a good one, at least four. Through Twitter, you can even interact with pastors across the country to engage with and learn from them. That was my habit that started during the pandemic, and what I found is it helps me find a greater understanding of God. It does not replace reading the Bible, and heaven knows it cannot replace fellowship at a home church. However, what I found is it widened my vision for what God has in store for me. That is how one can increase exponentially what is poured in.
To better experience God, you must allow Him to pour into you. Everyone learns differently. There are groups of people who learn similarly, but one should never assume they learn the same way as everyone else. Some learn from experience while others love listening to a preacher talk. Many read, and others love to be engaged in discussion. Perhaps you might learn through a combination of these ways. It is not important to know all the ways. What is important is to know which ways work best for you and to tirelessly utilize it to learn more about God. For an electronic buff like me, utilizing my phone to hear God’s word from trusted resources keeps me engaged in learning of His will. I still have a copy of the Bible in my house to read, and the other resources are an enhancement to my learning. They all pour God into me, which in turn, allows His Spirit, His words, His wisdom to pour out onto others. We should also be wary of false teaching and things that just make us feel good as those may not be of God’s doing. That is why knowing God’s word helps in protecting us against those things that may be false teachings because even when we may not like hearing it, our spirit will embrace it because we know God’s intent is for our spiritual growth. Put another way, it is to know Paul did “speak with words of wisdom.”
God pours into us His Spirit freely so that we too may pour into others. Jesus understood how important it was to pour into us and more importantly how important it would be for us to pour into others whether they are believers or not. He said, “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” (Luke 6:38) Jesus notes that our gift return is not the same but instead expanded and even ‘running over.’ So let us expand our ability to take in God’s word for in turn, He will make room for more in order to both give and receive. What ways can you expand your capacity to take in more of God? Will you commit to spend more time with God? My prayer is that we open our hearts and minds to God’s prompting and invite Him to pour more into us. Amen.