Refreshing Water

I am awed by the way various writers convey similar messages on any given morning during the hour or more I spend praying and reading the Bible, devotional books, and hymnals before I began to write a blog post.

Even though the Bible and the other books were written by various authors in various centuries, the “message of the day” is basically the same! And, even more astonishing, each one relates to what I am experiencing at that time. How is this possible? I wonder. How do they know how to write so specifically to my need on any given morning? How do ministers and hymn writers do the same kind of thing?????

According to John Gill, the famous Puritan pastor, here’s how the process works: The doctrines (teachings) a godly person absorbs and fills his heart with and which his mouth utters are like pure, purifying, and refreshing water. And the wellspring of wisdom within such a person is like a flowing brook, like a spring of spiritual wisdom and knowledge within him. From there “it flows freely and constantly; communicating itself liberally unto others, and ministering grace to the hearers [and readers!], for their edification [instruction, enlightenment, guidance]” Gill’s Exposition of the Entire  Bible.

I am indescribably grateful for such godly people who freely share truths they’ve gleaned. And I long to be one of them.

The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;

the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

Proverbs 18:4, ESV