Reservoir vs Canal

 St. Bernard of Clairvaux once said:

"If then you are wise, you will show yourself rather as a reservoir than as a canal. For a canal spreads abroad water as it receives it, but a reservoir waits until it is filled before overflowing, and thus communicates, without loss to itself, its superabundant water"12.

This quote emphasizes the importance of being filled with wisdom and grace before sharing it with others, ensuring that you give from a place of abundance rather than depletion.

“So on overflow, early in the Praxis experience, we were given an image, a beautiful piece of artwork of a reservoir. And we were invited to consider the power of a reservoir, the role of a reservoir, the elemental nature of it, the implications of it, the design, and what God might be wanting to bring to our attention through a daily practice of meditating over this image. And we were introduced back to the quote from St. Bernard of Clairvaux that we've referred to many times in this work, that a man who is wise, therefore, will see his life as more like a reservoir than a canal.

The canal simultaneously pours out what it receives. The reservoir retains the water until it is filled, and then discharges the overflow without loss to itself. Today, there are many in the church who act like canals.

The reservoirs are far too rare. You, too, must learn to await this fullness before pouring out your gifts. Do not try to be more generous than God.

I think one of the deep gifts of the experience was the conviction that was cultivated more and more that all true Christian leadership is overflow[…]”

From Become Good Soil: 168: Reflections on the Praxis, Aug 27, 2024

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/become-good-soil/id839310942?i=1000666829281

This material may be protected by copyright.

“Life with Jesus in the Kingdom of God relieves us of this kind of envious and resentful comparison with others. As you step into alignment with Jesus and your mind begins to be reworked, you begin to recognize another way of living. It’s by recognizing that you have a place in the Kingdom of God that you are allowed to say, “I don’t need to be a part of that.”

Excerpt From

Renovated

Jim Wilder

https://books.apple.com/us/book/renovated/id1468972436

This material may be protected by copyright.

Wisdom accumulation is more than memorization  it requires a practice of applying, reflection, meditation  it is a curiosity of going deeper  it is learning from experience  it is resilience of bouncing back  it is the discipline of secrecy  / not talking sboit what we do for God but sharing our with God experiences  

Journaling

Breath prayers

Writing out a prayer based on scripture

Attachment vs distraction 

Hesed- 

In Logos Bible Software, the Hebrew word “hesed”(חֶסֶד) is often defined with a rich and multifaceted meaning. It encompasses concepts such as lovingkindness, mercy, grace, and steadfast love. This word is deeply rooted in the idea of covenant loyalty and faithfulness12.

Hesed is described as a love that is not just a feeling but an action. It involves acts of devotion and kindness that go beyond what is required by duty1. This term is used extensively in the Hebrew Bible to describe God’s unwavering love and mercy towards humanity, as well as the loyalty and kindness that people are encouraged to show to one another23.

Would you like to explore more about how this concept is used in specific biblical passages or its theological implications?

What Is the Meaning of Hesed in the Bible?

Many biblical concepts are difficult to understand. For example, God is everywhere, omnipresent. It’s hard for a human brain to understand how God can be in Dallas and Dubai at the same time. Similarly, it’s difficult to grasp the full meaning of hesed in the Bible.

One reason for the difficulty is that there is no direct translation of the Hebrew word into Greek or English. Hesed originates from a word that means to bow one’s head toward another and signifies a covenant relationship. These details give us some clues to its meaning.

To help make sense of the concept, it’s necessary to combine the significance of words similar in meaning.Christianity.com states “Bible versions translate hesed with many different words such as love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, mercy, devotion, and favor.” Phrases including love can also help up understand hesed including steadfast love and lovingkindness.

What Are Some Examples of Hesed in the Bible?

Many verses contain the translation of hesed, with over 250 occurrences in the Old Testament. The first instance is found in Genesis 19:19. “Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life…” In this example, hesed is translated to kindness, however, when we look at the verse in context, we can see why it can be so difficult to translate the meaning of the original word.

Kindness in English can be so simple: holding a door open, giving a compliment, or smiling at a neighbor. In Genesis 19, the city of Sodom is being destroyed for its wicked ways. Angels urge Lot and his family to flee. When Lot remains frozen, the angels help his family escape, and then he says they “have shown great