Devotion for May 04, 2021 from Tori Valcarcel, Ministry in Context Student for CTK and HTLC:
Of Wells, Water, and Worry
Grace and Peace to you, Beloved siblings in Christ,
I have a really lovely friend, someone who I haven’t known for many years, and in fact, haven’t talked to in a long while. Nonetheless, they are the type of friend who feels like they have known me forever, and I know that they continue to think of me fondly as I think of them.
I wanted to share with you a gift that this friend gave to me. Since this is a written devotion, I can’t actually give you the physical thing, but I am fairly certain you already possess it. If you can, go to your closest cabinet and find a glass. Or a mug. Or a mason jar. Anything that is used to carry, to hold the things that sustain us like food and drink.
This carrying device, this lovingly crafted clay coffee mug, this slightly chipped novelty glass, this small but faithful cup- this is my gift to you.
That’s really only the first part of the gift, though.
The second part is this- you are free to put whatever you want into this container. It could be some buttons, a seashell that caught your eye, some dried flowers from a loved one’s funeral. It could be scraps of paper with notes written on it. You can leave it empty, never clean it, or plant a seed in it. A physical seed or a metaphorical one. Maybe even a mustard seed.
Now that you have your gift, and the freedom to do with it what you will, I want to share with you what is in my glass right now.
It is about halfway full, with just some paper and a pen, but the space that’s left I like to think of as room for the Holy Spirit. Those pieces of paper contain notes from myself, about joyous occasions, people I’m grateful for, worries and fears, some questions and some prayers. I think of it as my own well (I bet you were wondering about the title, right?).
It’s a well of the Living Water- a place from which I can draw life and joy and nourishment (in other lives it carried food and drink, after all). It is also a place to cast my worries and fear, a reminder that our Shepherd not only leads us beside still waters, but offers rest for our weary souls.
So, what will you fill your glass with?
Yours in Christ, Tori