Rivers Not Reservoirs
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April 19th, 2014

4/19/2014

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Simple
is not always
Easy

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Being a RIVER and not a RESERVOIR is simple, but not always easy.
Let me explain.
Now that I have entered a new  'season' of my life - well, having just turned 70, I choose not to refer to it as old age, but a 'new season' - I am moving from the complex of life to the more simple. No more of the 'stressors', 16 hour 'work' days, schedules to meet, check lists to complete (although never able to get them all checked anyway), political and organizational correctness issues, etc. 

Spiritually, God has been moving me as well from the complex to the simple. "God honors obedience more than sacrifice". I don't need to struggle with all of the do's and don'ts, and the works of my life. I just need to 'Hear God, and Obey'.  Now that is pretty simple right?  Of course.   

But simple is not always easy.

When I tell someone about Rivers not Reservoirs, they almost always - 'Get it'. "Oh, sure it is like the Dead Sea. If there is no outlet to God's giving in your life you will become like the Dead Sea." Let the giving flow, don't block it, or keep it all to yourself. Partially correct.  Pretty simple?

But simple is not always easy.

There is a difference between the Dead Sea and a Reservoir. The Dead Sea releases no water and becomes stagnant and dead. A Reservoir does release or 'let the water out'. The difference, is that 'someone' - the owner of the reservoir - determines the schedule and amount of the release. 

For much of my life I have viewed myself as a reservoir - 'God's Reservoir'. God gives to my life and my reservoir of resources, and then I give back to Him, and as I am able, I give to others. But, I control the release. (Don't miss the single letter word, I - as we used to say - me, myself and I)

But if I am to be a RIVER and not a RESERVOIR, then I must surrender the controls of the release of God's resources to Him. I must reaffirm that all of the water in the reservoir comes from God; that He owns me; that I am the steward and not the owner of the resources; that He does supply all of my needs; and that I can trust Him completely with His 'instructions' on the schedule and release. In fact, I can trust him to the point that I can tear down MY reservoir and become HIS river. So why is it so difficult to surrender the 'control'? Should be Pretty Simple.

But simple is not always easy.

But could it be that the truth is

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 'And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free' 
John 8:32 


More in the next posting

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RIVERS not RESERVOIRS
7982 Hillcrest Trail
Jonesboro, Georgia 30236
404.784.4618

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    Mark Leavell

    Follower of Christ, Husband, Father, and Grandfather. Mark is the husband of Marybeth, the father of two sons , Alan  (wife Lenore) and John (wife Jen) and 5 Grandchildren. (Brianna, Keegan, Callie, Elijah and Gabriel.) He resides in Jonesboro, Georgia. 

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