A Pastor’s Perspective

“Old Faithful” by Mike Hill, pastor of Calvary Chapel Aberdeen (mjhill@ida.net)

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      “SHWOOOSH!”  The geyser gushed water into the air right on schedule.  I’ve been to Yellowstone National Park several times in my life, and I’m always in awe at how Old Faithful is so, well, faithful!  There are two key factors which influence the regular time when the searing hot flow of water bursts forth into the sky up to 185 feet for all to see and to enjoy.  Seventy-two feet below the ground, the temperature of the water is 244 °F.  How did the water get so hot?  I suspect the earth’s core has something to do with it.  Scientists believe that temperatures exceed 11,000 °F there.  That is hotter than the surface of the sun!  Therefore, the first factor that influences the faithfulness of this geyser is that there is a fire continually burning deep down that cannot be quenched.  Second, the hot spring of water needs an outlet.  When pressure is built up under-ground, just at the right time, the water bursts out of the hole. 

     When you stand before Christ, what do you want to hear Him say?  Do you want to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23a) or “Cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”? (Matthew 25:30).  I presume you want Christ to describe you as a “good and faithful servant.”  What does that mean?  I went to a Leadership Conference last weekend in Boise.  One of the speakers, Wayne Taylor, pastor of Calvary Fellowship in Seattle, describes it as “the goodness that God has placed within us [born-again believers], He requires us to be faithful to share it with others.” 

     The two components that facilitate the faithfulness of Old Faithful are a fire continually burning deep down and an outlet.  Similarly, faithfully sharing the goodness of God with others requires the fire of God’s love to continually burn deep down within our hearts, and we must allow it to flow out of our lives. 

     One way to stoke the flame of God’s love is to prayerfully ingest and digest God’s Word, the Bible.  Remember what happened when those two men on the road to Emmaus encountered Jesus?  The Lord provided a Bible study for them, drawing out passages which refer to Himself.  The hearts of the men got fired up as a result (Luke 24:32).  Another way to stoke the flame is to simply ask.  Jesus said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.  But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive” (John 7:37-39a). 

     Do you have the living waters of God’s Spirit flowing through your life?  Do you have an outlet for God’s love to be expressed through your life?  The love of Christ was the motive and power of the Apostle Paul’s life and ministry.  It compelled him (2Corinthians 5:14).  This is why he was so effective.  I’ve been compulsive in a variety ways in my life and didn’t always have the best results.  However, to be compelled by the love of Christ will always achieve God’s purpose in our lives.  May Christ’s love burn deep within you and have an outlet to burst upon the lives of others.