Knowledge and Rules
Imagine being on a long hike that leaves you tired and thirsty, and suddenly you come upon a fountain overflowing with clear, cold, refreshing water. Beside the fountain is a pool inviting you to jump in and swim if you’d like. Over the fountain is a sign saying: “Before you can go on you must drink this water!” Lying around the fountain are Camelback water packs and canteens waiting to be filled and taken by those who stop by and drink. You can drink to your heart’s content and take more with you! Not to mention you can immerse yourself in the compellingly cool waters of the pool. That is a picture I love to think about on a hot day when I’m out biking, working, or involved in any kind of activity.
I paint the picture because it is also the mental image I have about my walk with Christ. He is the refreshing pool inviting me to immerse myself in Him and drink from His regenerating waters. The King of Kings wants me to be saturated in His presence. He wants to be sure I don’t attempt to move forward without being sure He is with me, providing all the water I need. He wants me refreshed and ready to face whatever comes my way. He wants to sustain me in life’s journey.
But…don’t miss this. I’ve seen it all too often. There are those who come by the pool, but instead of jumping in the pool and drinking the water, they move on taking two things with them:
The knowledge that the water is available.
The sign saying, “Before you can go on you must drink this water!”
That’s right. They carry with them knowledge and rules but fail to immerse themselves in the presence of God. From their mouths come words that tell people about the pool and all the do’s and don’ts of life, but they have failed to drink in its substance. You’ve met them haven’t you? Stern of face, clenched of jaw, lean on compassion and heavy with the rod. I can’t imagine heading into the desert carrying a sign that says “Before you can go on you must drink this water!” but not carrying with me any water. The sign will never bring refreshment.
I remember when I was in the third grade. I went to a ball field near our house which was surrounded by a tall wire fence; the kind of fence sporting sharp ends at the top to discourage climbers. That day…I was a climber. When I reached the top of the fence I brought my hand down with authority on the top and before I could grab any ounce of common sense to save me, the sharp points penetrated deeply into my hand leaving me hanging like a piece of beef in a meat locker. Somehow I freed myself and fell to the ground. I was running home squalling like a wounded baby when a man stopped me in the street and said he saw what was happening. He then began to yell at me and tell me I deserved what I got for climbing the fence. It was against the rules to climb the fence he said. A lecture is not what I needed at that moment. It’s nice he knew the rules…but, I was covered in blood. I had learned the hard way what breaking the rules meant. I ran from his presence and found the presence of my mom who addressed the wound and covered me with her love. By the way…that’s the last time I climbed that fence, but not the last time I ran to find the love and grace of my mom.
Jesus stands ready to welcome us with whatever we need to heal, to engage life, to move forward, to stand tall in life’s journey. Do you see Him? What about today…what did you take with you when you came upon the pool of Holy Insight…when you encountered the Living Water?
