Wandering among GOD'S beautiful mountains on a delightful summer's day, how soon one becomes weary with climbing, and parched with thirst. Guided by the sound of running water, we seek the shade of an overhanging rock, and a draught from the crystal stream falling from above. It may be we have but a small vessel from which to drink, but we can fill it again and again, for the supply is inexhaustible. If the cup be small, it will soon be full and overflow: had we a bucket it would take longer filling, but, once full, it would equally overflow: and if a huge barrel were placed under the stream, it, too, in time would overflow. And the overflow in each case would be the same, for it depends not on the size of the vessel but on the unfailing supply of the stream.
Thus the saved Samaritan woman, without any preparation or any other fitness, could at once draw to her newly-found Saviour a multitude of needy souls, while many an eloquent preacher can leave the multitudes to go home unsaved and unsatisfied. Understanding this, it ceases to be a question of what we are, or what we can do, and the important thing is, have we brought our vessel to Him to be filled to overflow, that being more than satisfied ourselves, we may have to give to any and every thirsty one without stint and without fear? For the promise of John 7 is of rivers of living water, and of John 4 of an unfailing spring going on and on unto everlasting life.
Let us not leave the subject without asking ourselves, beloved friends, where we are with reference to this matter. Are we amongst the thirsty ones, or amongst those who have come to the one great Source, and are drinking, believing, and therefore receiving, for their own need and the blessing of others?
In conclusion, I should like to give a few words of personal testimony. It was in a time of deep spiritual need that the thoughts I have above expressed were given me when alone in inland China. I was painfully conscious that I was not living all that I was trying to teach the Chinese. Struggling for victory, too often I found myself defeated, until I asked myself whether I ought not to cease to preach, and to retire from missionary work. Fasting, prayer, meditation on the Word, all I could think of seemed powerless to help me, when one afternoon, in the course of my usual reading, I came to John 4. It had always been ancient history to me, and as such loved and appreciated, but that afternoon for the first time it became a present message to my soul. No one could have been more thirsty, and I there and then accepted the gracious invitation, and asked and received the Living Water, believing from His own Word that my thirsty days were all passed, not from any present feeling, but because of His promise. That same evening I took, without reluctance, my usual Bible-reading with the Chinese, and spoke freely, but without being specially conscious of power. At breakfast the following morning, however, I learned that one of my hearers had been brought into such deep conviction of sin as to pass the night sleeplessly; and from that time my ministry was owned of GOD as it had not been for some time before.