Jesus said to them, Fill the water pots with water. So they filled them up to the brim. Then He said to them, Draw some out now and take it to the manager of the feast [to the one presiding, the superintendent of the banquet]. So they took him some. And when the manager tasted the water just now turned into wine, not knowing where it came from–though the servants who had drawn the water knew–he called the bridegroom. John 2:7-9. (AMPC)
It’s God’s desire that we be always filled because when we are filled then can we be able to pour out into others. Put another way we are filled to be emptied again only to be filled more so as to be emptied again. It goes on and on. This is the essence of ministry. We are filled with God and then go and fill others who do not know him. Jesus was at a wedding where they run out of wine. He commanded the servants to fill some empty pots that were there with water, after which he told them to draw out and take to the wedding manager who tasted the water now turned into wine.
This is a principle of life, relationships, ministry, and service. When we fellowship with the Lord listening to him, hearing his Word we are filled, our cup runs over. In his presence there’s rest, peace fullness of joy, liberty. We get filled with these virtues as we commune with God in prayer, worship, study, meditation. From there we go on to share with others what we have received from the Lord. Paul says he delivered to others what he also received. 1Corinthians 15:3. He emptied into others what he was filled with.
Jesus came to earth filled with the Father’s love, life and light. He emptied it all into us all. John records “of his fullness we have all received… John 1:16.
What God has filled us with is not for us to hold onto but to go and empty into others. The love, life, light, peace, joy he fills us with is for us to go and empty into others.
The apostle Paul praises the God who comforts us so in turn we go and comfort others. We are filled with comfort to empty the same comfort into others.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3, 4. NIV.