“Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong; because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.”
—Isaiah 53:12
God’s Word encourages us to “run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1), but doing so can leave us feeling weary and depleted. Once during a time of complete exasperation I threw up my arms angrily at God and cried out, “What do You want from me? What more?” Immediately, His crushing response came: “All of you. I gave you all of Me, so you must give Me all of you.”
His weighty presence and penetrating words instantly settled the matter and brought me into a new place of peace and strength. He spoke to me of the deep, dynamic relationship I have with Him. In this covenantal relationship I am an active participant in a passionate, divine exchange. I must pour my life out for God so that He can fill me up with Himself; then, in turn, I am to again empty myself out. This poured-out love exchange continues on and on and on, seemingly without end. Supernaturally, through this process I find myself changing and being transformed from the inside out!
We can know how to live this poured-out life by looking to Yeshua’s example. Jesus went before us so we can model what He did. Scripture says He “emptied Himself” and became “obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name” (Phil. 2:7–9). Unto the Father and for our justification, Jesus allowed Himself to bepoured out. Because of His sacrificial love, our victory over every battle is sealed, and we have God’s Spirit living within us to equip us in overcoming every obstacle.
Beloved, you are in an amazing, intimate love exchange with the Lord. Keep going to your Source, giving Him all of yourself so He can fill you up. Keep taking from His life-giving Spirit, and keep pouring it back out!
Lord, thank You for pouring Yourself out in love to give me new life, hope, and strength. With my eyes of love upon You, I give You all of me. I come to You empty, asking You to fill me afresh with Your Spirit, Yourpower, Your love, and Your Word. Fill me to overflowing, so I can then pour into others.
Cynthia Schneider, From Passover to Pentecost (Lake Mary, FL: Charisma House, 2021), Used by permission.
