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When we are feeling empty or spiritually depressed, or when circumstances make us aware of our weakness, that is a great opportunity to grow in God by turning to Him and asking Him to fill our void. We must be thirsty for God before we drink of His living water (Isa 55:1, John 7:37, Rev 21:6, 22:17). When our soul is full of worldly things we have no room for God, but “blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (God's Word and Spirit) Presence, for they shall be filled (with God's Presence)” (Matt 5:6). In Psalm 42 the psalmist is depressed and thirsty for the living God (v1-2), so He turns to God to fill him. Inspired by the local scenery, where the river Jordan flows out from Mount Hermon at Banias and tumbles down in waterfalls, he focuses on God, seeing these waters as a picture of God's river of life (v6), and then cries out from the depth of his heart (need) to the depths of God to fill him: “Deep calls unto deep at the noise (sound) of Your waterfalls (of grace)” (v7a). Through His Word, we hear the sound of His river of life flowing to us, and respond by calling out to Him to fill us. As a result: “all Your waves and billows (of love, peace and joy) have gone over me. The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime” (v7b-8). The Oil Miracle (2Kings 1-7), when God filled all the empty vessels that were presented to Him with His Oil (representing the Holy Spirit) reveals that He is willing to fill all the empty parts of our soul with His Spirit, if we turn to Him, present them to Him, and ask Him to fill us. The Oil only stopped flowing when there were no longer any empty vessels to fill. So our empty voids (our awareness of our weakness and need) are a great opportunity to turn to god and be filled.
When we are feeling empty or spiritually depressed, or when circumstances make us aware of our weakness, that is a great opportunity to grow in God by turning to Him and asking Him to fill our void. We must be thirsty for God before we drink of His living water (Isa 55:1, John 7:37, Rev 21:6, 22:17). When our soul is full of worldly things we have no room for God, but “blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (God's Word and Spirit) Presence, for they shall be filled (with God's Presence)” (Matt 5:6). In Psalm 42 the psalmist is depressed and thirsty for the living God (v1-2), so He turns to God to fill him. Inspired by the local scenery, where the river Jordan flows out from Mount Hermon at Banias and tumbles down in waterfalls, he focuses on God, seeing these waters as a picture of God's river of life (v6), and then cries out from the depth of his heart (need) to the depths of God to fill him: “Deep calls unto deep at the noise (sound) of Your waterfalls (of grace)” (v7a). Through His Word, we hear the sound of His river of life flowing to us, and respond by calling out to Him to fill us. As a result: “all Your waves and billows (of love, peace and joy) have gone over me. The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime” (v7b-8). The Oil Miracle (2Kings 1-7), when God filled all the empty vessels that were presented to Him with His Oil (representing the Holy Spirit) reveals that He is willing to fill all the empty parts of our soul with His Spirit, if we turn to Him, present them to Him, and ask Him to fill us. The Oil only stopped flowing when there were no longer any empty vessels to fill. So our empty voids (our awareness of our weakness and need) are a great opportunity to turn to god and be filled.
Monday Evening 4/29/2024
This sermon was preached by Rev Stephen Haward in Market Harborough Congregational Church on Sunday 5th November 2022.The theme was The oil that flowed Bible Readings – 2 Kings 4:1-7 and Colossians 1:9-14More information about our church is available on our website
“What can I do to help you?” Elisha asked. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?”“Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,” she replied.3 And Elisha said, “Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors. 4 Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.”
In our lives we put our trust in many people and things. Over time we realize that things will fail, and people are not perfect. Today as we start this series talking about Taking God at His Word, we need to realize that He is the source of our things. We need to realize that everything that we have belongs to God and He has entrusted us with what belongs to Him. Our trust and dependence on Him will lead to great rewards in our lives, but we must honor Him, and trust that He is the source of resources and He will provide for every need we have.