Scuttlebutt, Refreshment and Gossip
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According to
ezines@arcamax.com: scuttlebutt (noun) - 1 : A drinking fountain on a ship. 2 : A cask on a ship that contains the day's supply of drinking water. 3 : Gossip; rumor. Scuttlebutt comes from scuttle, "a small opening" + butt, "a large cask" -- that is, a small hole cut into a cask or barrel to allow individual cups of water to be drawn out. The modern equivalent is the office water cooler, also a source of refreshment and gossip.
The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. [John 19-32-34]
who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ [1 Peter 3:21-22]
I know . . . scuttlebutt doesn’t seem an appropriate word to be included in a devotional! I hope I’ll be able to explain how this devotion developed. I slept in this morning and did not have my full time before work to sip coffee, pray, check email and go through my normal morning routine. I did, however, intentionally save the daily “word a day” email I received when I read what the word was. I get it: you’re not satisfied with my explanation yet!
What occurred to me this morning is how fascinating words are—and how important. The origin of words has always been of great interest to me; I assume it is part of my crazy compulsion as a writer. Water. It’s just a word. Refreshment is certainly a word one would commonly associate with water. Gossip? Well, it might be a stretch to associate the two words, unless you do think of the office water cooler example.
In ancient times the equivalent of the water cooler was a town well or nearby stream or river. Women walked together to the town well or stream every day to draw water into jugs to carry home for cooking and cleaning. As they walked, they also took advantage of the opportunity to get caught up on all the gossip, or to start some of their own.
Water also calls to mind floods, especially lately, with the triple threat of hurricanes across the southern coast of the U.S. Noah’s Ark comes to mind as well. John baptized Jesus with water in the Jordan River. Jesus used water to wash the feet of His disciples. Water-mingled blood poured out of the dead body of Christ on the Cross.
Scuttlebutt is what we are interested in and participate in when we live of the world. We are “of” the world when the day to day activities of “famous” people becomes an obsession, when we watch the predicted course of Hurricane Ike and begin to think that surely God intends to end the world again with water—in spite of His promise. Scuttlebutt is what was used to “legally” crucify Christ. Scuttlebutt goes on everyday in church congregations, in schools and offices, in warehouses and executive suites. Scuttlebutt is what distracts us from what is important in and to our lives.
When we live
in the world and not
of the world, we seek the refreshment of the Living Water. When we live
in the world and not
of the world, we thirst for the water Christ offered the Samaritan woman at the well the water that springs up into eternal life. In the world we often feel drenched and soaked through with the cares and worries of the world. We also remember that Peter began to sink in the lake when He took his eyes of Jesus.
When we live
in the world and not
of the world, we know that even when we feel we’re going under for the last time, when we’ve breathed out our last breath before drifting soundlessly to the bottom of the sea, Jesus will reach out to save us. He is to be our focus and our foundation.
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. [John 7:37-39]
My prayer today is that you remember He is the Living Water that springs up in us to eternal life. And that you come to Him and drink.
Mary
Labels: baptism, baptize, Cross, gossip, Holy Spirit, Jesus, John, living water, scuttlebutt, water
Lacking in Nothing
John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.
James 1:3-4For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
These verses in James don’t suggest that we will be lacking in nothing simply because our faith is steadfast and strong. We may lose a job, have a house burn to the ground, a friend or relative could become gravely ill or even die. James is not talking about a lacking in this world. He’s talking about lacking in nothing because of Christ. He's assuring that Christ is our sufficiency, in this world and in the next.
James and John both encourage us not to fret and become discouraged because of our trials and tribulations in this life. Neither of them implies that it’s not normal and acceptable to be sad, to feel pressured, even sometimes a bit depressed. What they are reminding us though, is that everything in this world will pass away and perfection in Christ will be realized in heaven.
This verse from John is one of my “hallmark” verses, one that scrolls at the top of the pages on the website. Christ has overcome the world! Any day I forget that, is a day I haven’t lived into who I am and who God wants me to be. Any day I become distracted by the things of this world, the trials, the annoyances, the really difficult situations, that’s a day I wasted.
There is nothing in my life to complain about. I’ve got it much easier than many others I know personally and vicariously through others and the media. Don’t get me wrong, my family and I have struggles. We’re faced with tough situations on a daily basis, individually and as a family. So if I have nothing to complain about, who am I to lecture?
I am merely one who has been saved by God’s grace, through the gift of Jesus Christ. I have lived for many years believing the words of scripture in my head and wanting desperately to accept them with my heart. Many times I felt God working in me, peeling away, burning off and scraping away everything in me that was not of his making or liking. Countless times I have assured myself, “OK, now I’m done.” I repeatedly convinced myself that I was now going to have a faith life that was pretty routine and easy to maintain and sustain.
That’s where the trap is: believing we are “good enough” now. I often wonder if the chicken and the egg analogy applies to life. We begin to rely upon our own strength and wisdom, something difficult happens, we turn to God, either asking why or begging forgiveness. We draw closer and closer to Him as we turn to Him more and more ardently and intentionally. Our lives seem to improve and we have a stronger faith life. Then we get comfortable again and the cycle starts all over. I sit here today proclaiming I don’t know anything except Christ Jesus, died, buried and risen on the third day. I take courage each day, resting in the assurance that He has overcome the world!
My prayer today is that you confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior every single day of your life. And that you let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Mary.
Labels: Christ, faith, James, John, steadfast, struggles, trials
