When the Ink Runs Dry

For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. 

Jeremiah 2:13

What comes to mind when you read the following phrases:   Ran out of steam.  The end of the line.  Nothing left to offer.  End of your rope.  The well's run dry.  Empty as last year's bird's nest. 

All seem to conjure up a feeling of an empty hopelessness where human strength has run out and you're at the mercy of circumstances, right?   Well, that's exactly how I was feeling this evening.   Ironically, when I picked up my pen to begin writing some thoughts on a passage of Scripture I had read, I could only write the date because my pen ran out of ink.  "Lovely!  How fitting for the moment!" I thought.   

But it's true.  When we try every avenue, seeking God's will, but in the energy of ourselves, and not RESTING in the power of His Holy Spirit, we will run dry...all energy is zapped, and we're "down to nothing."  

I've heard though, that "when we're down to nothing, God's up to something."   Ahh!  Rest is found when we finally get to the end of "ourselves!"   I realized there's no need for me to wrestle in God's hand!  He just wants me to float.  Perhaps, like a drowning person, it's best for me to just 'let go' and give up, so that the Rescuer can do His part.  

It does no good to hew out cisterns in our own efforts, because they'll be leaky.  Thankfully He knows we have this "treasure of salvation in earthen (leaky) vessels." (II Cor. 4:7)  He has compassion on all He has made. (Psalm 145:9)  So, why would we wrestle against Him?  "Be still and KNOW that He is God," (Ps. 46:10) and that HE HAS a plan for our lives (Jer. 29:11)  The sooner we let go, and relax in His hands, the sooner He will begin directing our circumstances instead of having to deal with the struggling efforts of His children to resist Him.

Father, thank You for understanding, and even allowing us to get to the "end of ourselves."   Thank You that my ink pen ran dry tonight, because You showed me a valuable lesson----that all we do in our own energy will just run out, sooner or later, and we'll end up a broken vessel.  Please forgive me for "trying so hard" when all the while You've been wanting me to
L-E-T  G-O!  In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.