Filling Up the Dead Sea

The Dead Sea is dead because it has no outlet. And the Sea of Galilee is a fisherman’s paradise, because it allows water to flow out to bless others... At least that's how the story is often told.

But is it true? Is the problem with the Dead Sea really that it has no outlet, that it needs to dig a new Suez canal out to the sea?

Remember that at last count the water level in the Dead Sea is 429 m - thats 1407 ft - BELOW sea level, and still dropping.  Even if the lake could tunnel, something lakes can’t do any more than leopards can change their spots, water still wouldn't flow out!

Perhaps we have the lesson all wrong though. While water not flowing out is a bad sign for a lake, I'd suggest it’s not the ultimate why, but only a symptom of it.

So what would it take for the Dead Sea to get new life – have its salt washed away – and begin to flow out to others?

Being filled to the brim with living water.

No matter how deep the hole, you pour enough water in, and it’ll start pouring out. 

"Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as^f the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”

"Whoever is united with Christ, has within his soul a living fountain from which to draw strength and grace sufficient for all emergencies. Words and deeds of righteousness flow from it and refresh the hearts of others, as well as the soul from which it springs. Jesus Christ, the never-failing source of this fountain, cheers the life and brightens the path of all who come to him for aid. Love to God, the satisfying hope of Heaven, springs up in good works unto eternal life." – 2SP 141.3

Hidden Hearts

Most of us have heard the quote:

"A woman's heart should be so hidden in God that a man has to seek Him just to find her."
 - Max Lucado (often mis-attributed to Maya Angelou):

I disagree with just one thing... It implies the man goes seeking God because he's looking for a woman!


"A man's heart should be so hidden in God that he is pleasantly surprised if God tells him a  woman's heart is hiding there too."

Embarrassing Tales - God is good through it all!

My AFCOE outreach partner and I been driving his car, and he thought he smelled oil. I was navigating, and suggested a right turn, which happened more quickly than intended, resulting in a minor exchange of paint with a vehicle on our right. After dealing with that in a nearby parking lot, we finally got to check the oil. I got a quick look at the dipstick and thought it looked a bit strange, but didn't pay too much attention, just helped add the oil and we got back on the road. Unfortunately, in between adding oil and getting on the road, it's usually best to replace the oil cap. Somehow, neither of us did. This of course, caused the oil to splash, and the splashed oil started to scorch, the fumes of which caused us to pull over again to investigate.

Fortunately, the cap was still in the engine compartment. We checked the oil level again. Hearing it was low, I bought more and we added again. Replacing the cap this time, we started to head home, but noticed that there were now copious white fumes coming out of the exhaust, so we stopped again. We were getting low on fuel anyway and I was concerned the dubious jerrycan of free fuel we'd added earlier that afternoon might be a contributor. While I added some more trustworthy gas, my partner again checked the oil, resulting in a key realization - we hadn't been checking the oil at all, but the transmission fluid!

Actually checking the oil, we found that there was plenty there. No surprise, since we'd at this point added three whole quarts (Something about that really should have clued me in to a problem... Even the splashing shouldn't have lost us that much!) That explained the white smoke, but made the solution a bit unclear. My tools were in my car, being borrowed by a team without their own vehicle. And even it I'd had them, I don't carry an oil catch pan!

A couple phone calls later a large convention of AFCOE friends began to converge on the scene - bringing several sets of tools, including mine, and eventually, an oil catch pan in the possession of someone's friend who lived nearby. After draining the oil and replacing (an oil change was due anyway!), we were finally on our way. The white smoke faded away, meaning that all rings and seals should still be intact, praise God!

That is the story of the white smoke. We have much to be thankful for! It also teaches me two things. First, when something seems wrong, it's usually worth voicing: "That dipstick looks weird... There really should be a jack point that doesn't require crawling under the car to reach... Why don't we break down in that other parking spot, the one that doesn't say "5 Minute Parking Only, Fuel Tank Filling Zone" (and yes, the fuel truck came while we were there!) Second, I definitely want to continue my quest to learn more about auto mechanics, so I can be sure I know those things, rather than just having the idea but not enough certainty to cause action!

To save yourself, work to save others

While looking something up today, I came across this story. It powerfully illustrates a truth that can be very easy to miss.

I have read of a man who, journeying on a winter's day through the deep, drifted snow, became benumbed by the cold which was almost imperceptibly stealing away his vital powers. And as he was nearly chilled to death by the embrace of the frost king, and about to give up the struggle for life, he heard the moans of a brother traveler, who was perishing with cold as he was about to perish. His humility was aroused to rescue him. He chafed the ice-clad limbs of the unfortunate man, and, after considerable effort, raised him to his feet; and as he could not stand, he bore him in sympathizing arms through the very drifts he had thought he could never succeed in getting through alone. And when he had borne his fellow traveler to a place of safety, the truth flashed home to him that in saving his neighbor he had saved himself also. His earnest efforts to save another quickened the blood which was freezing in his own veins, and created a healthful warmth in the extremities of the body. These lessons must be forced upon young believers continually, not only be precept, but by example, that in their Christian experience they may realize similar results.--Testimonies, vol. 4, pp. 319, 320

The principle is true spiritually: we can't expect to stay healthy if we're not seeking to bring others to Jesus. That's definitely the most important application. But it's also true socially - if feeling lonely, look for someone to help. It's true physically - on a hike, those that feel their soreness least are the ones encouraging others (Admittedly, those who are less sore may also be more likely to encourage others, but I'm convinced the causal relationship runs the other way as well!). So don't wait - help others!

Go therefore and pick blackberries

I love blackberries. Any berries, really - salmonberries, thimbleberries, huckleberries.... mmm. In general if it grows on a bush and I can pick it, it's good. Even kinds of berries most people don't really care for (salmonberries) are plenty to motivate me to spend time and collect scratches wandering in berry patches. I go so far as to tell people (mostly tongue in cheek) that I think it's my Christian duty to pick any berries I see - being eaten is really a berry's ultimate purpose, so to not eat one I had an opportunity to is to keep it from real fulfillment!

A couple nights ago, I went for a lone night run on the trails around the Weimar campus where AFCOE is held and ended up sitting on a wooden bridge over a small creek. After sitting a while, I moved my headlamp and noticed that just off to my left was a cluster of ripening blackberries. Just out of reach - or so I thought. When I got balanced just right, with my toes right on the edge, I was able to reach a few. And then noticed a few more, and a few more. Each required a little more stretching, and sometimes reaching through other less fruitful branches. I started getting a few scratches on my arms, and started having to grab branches (yes, spiny branches) to pull berries within reach.

As I was picking berries I thought to myself "It's a good thing my mother isn't here." I was alone on a trail at night, stretching out as far as I could from the edge of an aging, unrailed bridge. There was a definite possibility of falling, and if I did, I would certainly meet the blackberry bush on the way down before landing somewhere on the steep bank dropping off toward the creek. And even if I didn't fall, I was knowingly subjecting myself to a fair degree of scratches and pokes.

Weighing everything in the balance, I decided to keep picking blackberries. You see, I love blackberries. A few scratches didn't even stack up at all against the joy of popping those perfectly-ripe flavor grenades in my waiting mouth.

Then the thought came to me, if I'm willing to go through all this for blackberries, how much more is it worth sacrificing to tell people about Jesus? Quite a bit. (Infinitely more?)

(Before you send my mother to come get me, the stream was less than 6 feet below and really only a tranquil trickle.) But the point remains - I'm willing take risks and put up with a fair degree of discomfort for the sake of blackberries. How much risk am I willing to take and how much discomfort will I put up with to pick people?

The importance of Purpose

This summer, for the first time in 5 years, I didn't work a summer job. I was planning to go to medical school this fall, and wanted a chance to see my family and dear friends (time with whom has been precious and scarce, living far from home and working all of the last 4 summers!) But in doing so, I lost two things that had been important parts of my last 4 summers. I didn't make a conscious decision to live with a ministry purpose, and I didn't have a group of others who had made that decision to spur me on and keep me accountable. As an insightful friend put it: "It's hard to stay focused without something to focus on."

It fits in very well with a concept I learned today in my first day at Amazing Facts Center for Evangelism. It's not a new concept, per se, but fresh in my mind. There are three (at least) major disciplines in the Christian walk: Bible study, prayer, and witnessing/sharing. Without all three, it's hard to grow spiritually. If Bible study is like eating, and prayer the breath of the soul, sharing about Jesus might be like exercise. You can't live without it. It may come through daily tasks, but if it's not there somewhere, you'll atrophy. Get bedsores. Lose pulmonary function. And worse!

(Now you don't have to be officially working in a job focused on leading people to Jesus to have that purpose. It's even possible to be employed in and still not care about evangelism. But I hope whatever you're doing, you do it looking for ways to share Jesus with others. I know when I don't, life just isn't as much fun!)

"Working to bring people to Jesus will change your life. It's the greatest joy this side of heaven." - Wes Peppers

Summer + new year.

Wow, I haven't blogged in a long time.

Summer was crazy fun, working with IRR training in Colorado (an amazing place to be with 45 other outdoors nuts. Basically camping all summer while they learned rescue and I cooked, then going on adventures on weekends - camping/backpacking, of course!) Then summer camp, working maintenance in Washington. A lot of fun, something new to do every day, and got to help out Waterfront and Challenge Course on occasion too. With more outdoors adventures on days off.

And now back to Union for my Junior year. Still IRR premed, but starting to wonder if God might have other plans besides med school afterward. We'll see.

School starts today, but I got here about a week ago-early for RA training. It's the first day of classes, but all I have are chapel (optional, and doesn't happen the first week) at 10:30 and then Physics lab at 2:00. And my first class of any morning is 10:30, a good thing considering how late RA's are often up - 11:30 would be the absolute earliest bedtime even possible.

I'm taking Physics and 3 honors classes, only 15 hours. Could be crazy. And checking if I need to add a 3 credit World religion. I hope not... I'd love to have a little free time to take guitar and/or piano lessons again.