Store It or Pour It?

Mark 14:³ “…Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head.”

You can store it (keep it safe), or you can pour it. Our lives are like this, you can store your life, (keep it safe), or you can pour it out and really make an impact. The story is told of a young believer called Mustafa Adelabu. Mustafa taught Sunday school (children’s church) in his church. The children’s church of his church had only three children for years, at least seven years. Mustafa Adelabu was very faithful, and he took those three children from five – six years old, to their preteen years consistently pouring into them, training them, and building them up. The Pastor of the church could rely on Mustafa. The children could rely on Mr. Mufti, as they fondly called him. Mr. Mufti lived to impact the three children, pouring into it not storing it.

And that is how we should be. I pray that God will find us faithful in the area He has assigned to us. I pray that we will not grow weary or tired. So, are you storing or are you pouring? As a church, we are about the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. Matthew 22:^37-40 “Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”  This is the Great Commandment. The first command is to love God. The second is to love your neighbour as yourself. The Great Commandment is all about love.

Matthew 28:^18-20 “Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’” This is the Great Commission. Jesus is with you if you are spreading the gospel. Jesus is solidly behind the church that is focused on reaching people for the Kingdom of God. That is the Great Commission. We have been commissioned to go and represent God. In other words, take what God has been doing for you and what God has been doing in you, and do it with everyone else.

Let God do through you what He has been doing for you and doing in you. You can take what God has been doing in you and for you and store it up. Or you can take what God has been doing in you and for you and allow Him to do it through you. Many of us have unbelievable capacity. You are like a sleeping giant. Yet you are only worried about what you are going to eat, drink, and wear. Jesus is saying to you, “Is life not more important than that? I have poured so much into you. I have done so much in you. I have taken you through so much in life. Take what you have and let me work through you. I want you to pour it.” So, what is it going to be?

Prayer: Father, I ask for the grace and the courage to pour and not store all that You have deposited in me in the glory of Your Name, in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen!