"When Adam came from the Creator's hand, he bore, in his physical, mental, and spiritual nature, a likeness to his Maker. "God created man in His own image" (Genesis 1:27), and it was His purpose that the longer man lived the more fully he should reveal this image--the more fully reflect the glory of the Creator. All his faculties were capable of development; their capacity and vigor were continually to increase.
Vast was the scope offered for their exercise, glorious the field opened to their research. The mysteries of the visible universe--the "wondrous works of Him which is perfect in knowledge" (Job 37:16)--invited man's study. Face to face, heart-to-heart communion with his Maker was his high privilege. Had he remained loyal to God, all this would have been his forever. Throughout eternal ages, he would have continued to gain new treasures of knowledge, to discover fresh springs of happiness, and to obtain clearer and yet clearer conceptions of the wisdom, the power, and the love of God. More and more fully would he have fulfilled the object of his creation, more and more fully have reflected the Creator's glory" (Education, pg. 15).
To know God--as He really is--is what Jesus had in mind in creating us. God created man in His image to resemble Him and be His children. And though sin has disrupted this perfect plan, Christ is the great Restorer. "Old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). By taking our place on Calvary's cross, He's made it possible for the image of God to be restored in us. For communion to be renewed. The communion that Adam and Eve once enjoyed can be our experience. The highest fulfillment will come, of course, once we get to heaven, but even now we can walk and talk with the Savior. And our capacity for knowing Him will continually increase.
From time to time, we come to Jesus with our little "cups." We ask Him to fill us up with His love or peace. But He has so much more to give us! When He sees our little containers, I think He says, "Is that all you want? I have much more to give. Don't you want a bigger container?" He longs to fill us to the full so that our cup runs over.
It reminds me of the woman who came in tears to Elisha. Her husband had been one of the students in the school of the prophets. But now he was dead and the creditors were banging at her door. Unless she could pay them all in full, they would take her sons away (to be their servants or their slaves). All that she had was one jar of oil. So Elisha told her, "Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors--empty vessels; do not gather just a few" (2 Kings 4:3). Then she poured the oil from her vessel into all the borrowed ones. When a container was full, she asked her sons to bring her another one. And she continued pouring until all the vessels were full. "The supply ceased only when no more vessels were brought to receive it" (Reflecting Christ, pg. 269).
The same thing will happen today. The Lord will supply the oil in abundance, the presence of His Spirit, as long as we come, ready to be full. How many vessels do we bring to Jesus? If we bring only a few, we'll receive only a little. Barely a thimble full. And if our containers are small, we'll never know that "in Your presence is fullness of joy" (Psalm 16:11) and "to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:19, New Revised Standard).
But if we come with many vessels, Christ will fill us to full capacity. But the question is: how much do we want? How much do we expect Christ to give us? Do we believe we can receive the fullness of God or do we expect only a meager helping? Here's what Jesus offers you--"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above ALL that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us" (Ephesians 3:20).
What power is working in you? It's not your strength, is it? It's the power of the Holy Spirit! He comes to you with the same power that filled Christ as He spoke to the storm, saying "Peace, be still" (Mark 4:39). The same power that called this world into existence. Or consider this: Christ comes to give you "the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:19,20). This same resurrection power is at work in you through the presence of God's Spirit!
He comes to you every day, asking to enter your house, your thoughts, and your heart. If you let Him in, He'll give you the mind of Christ. What God loves, you will love. What He hates, you will hate. It's too amazing even to grasp! Not only will He give you His heart but His mind as well! (1 Corinthians 2:16) And the more you sit at His feet, soaking in His Word, listening to His Spirit, the bigger your heart will grow. Your cups will become pitchers, barrels, and vessels continually growing and expanding. The more room you give to Jesus, the more your capacity to love Him will grow. "Growing into His likeness, we enlarge our capacity for knowing God. More and more we enter into fellowship with the heavenly world, and we have continually increasing power to receive the riches of the knowledge and wisdom of eternity" (Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 355, italics supplied).
My Prayer
Dear Father in heaven, thank you for the abundance that You have promised to pour into my life. Help me believe that Your fullness can be mine. Enlarge my vessels so that I can receive more of You each day--so that my capacity will hold all the blessings You want to give me. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
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