Pouring Out Water = Dying To Self

# 88 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 7:5,6 “And Samuel said, "Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you." 6 So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before the LORD. And they fasted that day, and said there, "We have sinned against the LORD." And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah. (1 Sam 7:5,6) Now that the people have put away their idols showing their desire to return to the Lord, Samuel calls for a national assembly at Mizpah. The word means watch tower and likely was chosen because it enabled them to be watchful against their enemies. It was likely a safe place to meet. Once there, they drew out water and poured it out before the Lord. This was a symbolical act that represented a pouring out of self before the Lord. It's a good picture since over 50% of the human body is made up of water. It's a physical sign that shows a desire of the people to let go of self once and for all. As we read in 2Sa 14:14, it's a beautiful picture of dying to self. "For we will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again.” A further sign of their willingness to place God before themselves was their decision to fast. Fasting is like praying with our bodies. It is denying our bodies physical pleasure for the sake of making more room for God. The Israelites had allowed their idolatry to lead them to a point of despair. A point where they were finally willing to meet together as a church in humility and sorrow over their sins. I wonder when we will reach that point in our land? I wonder when individual congregations will be hit with the realization that we have become very much entangled in the sin of idolatry and thus are “sinning against the Lord,” When will we stop shaking our head about what's going on around us and take the corrective action as prescribed by Samuel. Simply stated, when will we repent, fast, and pray in genuine sorrow over our sin.