The Fountain That Ran Dry

This morning our dolphin fountain was empty…again! It hadn’t been windy enough the past few days for the water to be blown out of it, like it was last week. But we had very low humidity, which caused the water to evaporate…and Keith had turned off the sprinklers that filled it each morning. It wasn’t an issue the first couple of days the sprinklers were off. There was still enough water in the bowl to allow the pump to run properly. But cut off from the source that fills the fountain every morning, the water didn’t last: It must be filled daily to run properly, to not run dry and burn out the pump.

This is the Lord’s picture to me of how I burned out. I slowly cut myself off from the daily filling of the Lord. In my extreme busy-ness I would pray and study God’s word, but my adrenaline was ALWAYS pumping. So many tasks lay ahead of me that “had” to be completed “right away” that I wouldn’t sit and ponder what He was trying to speak into my heart, mind and spirit. I got out of balance and s-l-o-w-l-y the Living Water dwindled away. I didn’t let it refresh and renew me because I “had” to “get to work”. My focus had shifted from what was truly important to what was merely urgent. This was my doing – not the Lord’s. He beckons me daily to spend time with Him, but the amount and quality of the time I give Him is my choice.

And so, my fountain ran dry – or nearly did – doing the Lord’s work in my own strength, which did not last. When I was so spent that even my reserves were depleted, I had to stop before I totally burned out…

And thus began a new season with the Lord, turning the faucets back on…being immersed in the refreshing water of His presence…drinking deeply during rich time in His word…stopping to ponder and listen again for His voice…for what He is saying to my heart, mind and spirit.

I was so grateful He let me continue leading worship at Community Bible Study. The songs He put in my heart and mind were the small trickle that kept my heart alive…and which turned into a full-flowing river, allowing my cup – my fountain – to once again overflow!

So, how are you doing today? Is your fountain running dry? Are you so crazy-busy with urgent matters (after all, this is the holiday season!) that the Lord’s living water is evaporating from your life? Why not STOP, right now…and ask the Lord to slow you down and show you what is most important – so He can fill you up till you, too, are overflowing.

John 4:14b “Indeed the water I (Jesus) give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Isaiah 58:11b “You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring (a fountain?) whose waters never fail.”