Source of Nourishment

I've been thinking a lot about Wednesday's devotional. It states that strength emerges from nourishment. The question than is; where do we get our nourishment?

The devotional states that Adam and Eve (along with us) were created to allow the "goodness and love of their creator to nourish them". However, Adam and Eve (and us as well) chose to be cut off from God's good and perfect nourishment, because they wanted to do things on their own. It is also true that we often try and seek nourishment from other things. We trust in our own strength, in other people, and in other things. However, nothing will ever sustain us like our God.

An amazing part of all of our stories is that God did not just leave us detached from our source for long. (Much like John 15:5, which states “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.") There has been grace given through Christ. We are "sustained by His freely offered life" (Devotional). Through his death, sacrifice and love; we are connected back to the source and can find our nourishment in God again.

The reason why this concept is so interesting to me is because I find that I stumble into this way too often. I try so hard to depend on myself and others, and get discouraged when I cannot do it on my own. Christ has to continuously bring me back to the reality that He is all I need and he is the only thing that brings me nourishment. He is my vine, my source, my nourishment.

The times where I struggle the most in this area is on houseboats. I often have so much to think about, so many jobs to do, and so many people I long to minister to. Through it all, I often try to depend on myself. I will always fall short, get frustrated, and burn out when I trust in myself to sustain me. But truthfully my strength is nothing, and Christ's is everything. When you serve this summer be aware that this maybe something you struggle with too...or maybe you are struggling with it now. Let go and trust that Christ is the only thing that can sustain you.

I pray that in those moments where you will find yourself in the same situation, you will notice and fall at Christs feet to receive His nourishment. Let him sustain you, grow you, and bear His fruit in you.

Love you all!