Nothing to offer

“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with
and the well is deep.”

(John 4:11)

Reflection:
Sooner or later in our Christian walk we will realise that we have nothing to offer. All our faculties, skills, talents, experience, self-confidence, strength and achievements are not sufficient to enable us to live and walk the way our Lord has indicated. We cannot achieve holiness, we cannot avoid all temptation and sin and we cannot do the things He has told us to do. Sometimes we no longer trust ourselves enough to even try.

In one way this is not a bad place to be if it leads us to turn more intentionally towards the Lord and to pray for His help and strength. After all He is the one who has promised us a new heart and a new Spirit – even the Holy Spirit of God Himself. Where it is dangerous is if we begin to think that we are either expected to do everything in our own strength, or that our lack of strength and ability is an indication that God is weak in the same way. So often in such situations we may imagine God sitting over us with a checklist, shaking His head in disappointment and frowning in anger.

God has promised us His Holy Spirit. He is not something for which we have to dig nor do we need a special bucket to draw Him out of some spiritual depths. He is God’s free gift to us who believe in Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord.

“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13)

It is the Holy Spirit who brings transforming change into our lives from the inside. In Him is the newness of life, the self-control and strength, the gifts and power, the faith and trust, the truth, light and love and all that we need to build us up in the newness of life and love that comes to us through Jesus Christ.

He is not the old murky water of the world but the clear, sparkling and ‘living water’ of eternal life in Christ.

Response:
Pray that you will continually be filled with the Spirit and lift to Him the areas in your life that are troubled.

Prayer:

Father in myself I am empty and powerless. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit and lead me continually into the new life that is Your wonderful gift to me. Amen.

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