Too busy to water!

This month has been extremely eventful. I've been planning for the Transformed conference taking place this Saturday in St. Louis, and preparing a message that I will be delivering to 300+ children on Sunday. In addition to that, its been an honor to help my husband, behind the scenes, with planting a new church, and to top it all off--my dear mom and step dad, Mike, came out from California to visit for over a week.

In the midst off all of this, I forgot to water my little green plant that sits on my office desk. I usually water it every other day--sometimes daily. Last year my aunt Nancy sent it to me all the way from California for my birthday. I was proud of my self for finally having somewhat of a green thumb. Until today.

I looked over in its direction and yelled out, "Oh no! It's dying!" I could hear my mom from the kitchen,

"What happened?" She cried.

"I forgot to water it...it's probably been five days or more...I really liked that plant it brightened up my whole office...I guess I was too busy to water it."

In the midst of adding water to my little wilted friend, all sorts of analogies ran through my mind.

First, that I need to water myself in the Word of God daily or I will become dry spiritually. Then, I thought about Proverbs 11:25 which says, "Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered." (ESV)

And the NKJV puts it this way, "The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself. " This verse has always been one of my favorites.

Charles Spurgeon taught on this very verse in a sermon delivered on Sunday Morning, April 23, 1865, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington. He titled his message "The Waterer Watered". Look what he says:

"All God’s plants more or less want watering. You and I do. We cannot live long without fresh supplies of grace....If the Lord Jesus who is the stem of the vine should cease to supply us with the fresh sap of grace, should we not be like the withered branch which is cast over the wall to be burned in the fire?" He continues...

"The Lord’s people usually get this watering through instrumentality. God does not speak to us out of heaven with his own voice—perhaps the thunder might appal us; he doth not write texts of Scripture with his own finger in letters of fire across the sky, but he waters us by instrumentality, by his Word written and his Word preached, or otherwise uttered by his servants..."

What great words from Spurgeon!

I was feeling down the other day. It was a Friday, which was bible study night, at church. I usually look forward in anticipation for this day. But for some reason I was in the dumps. After some time in prayer, the Lord granted me renewed vigor and strength in my inward being as I was reminded of Proverbs 11:25. I went to church, that night, and purposed in my heart to encourage, in some way, every woman I encountered. I prayed for some, listened intently to others, and cried with one dear sister. By the end of the night I was beaming and so was each woman that was encouraged. In some strange way as I watered others, I was being watered in return.