Monday, October 1, 2012

Just Carrying A Pitcher of Water

"And He said to them, 
'Behold, when you have entered the city, 
a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; 
follow him into the house which he enters."
Luke 22:10


Welcome to the His Table Tor Two!  I am humbled today to have a truly sweet girlfriend, Jennifer Roche, serve you some refreshing truths from His Word.  Jen is a continual vessel of encouragement, love and friendship to me.  Every single time we are together, even if just for a moment, she encourages me with sincerity and truth.  She is an angel in my life, and I am forever grateful that the Lord has blessed me with her friendship.  She is a treasured sister in Christ.  Have a seat. I know you will be blessed by Jen's amazing heart for Jesus.  (Jen is also a very talented jewelry designer.  And I have a special give-away for one of you!  Check out her beautiful work here at Etsy:  Bezalel Jewels!)

Here's Jen!

Luke 22 tells us of one of the most significant days in the life of Jesus.  He is preparing for a special dinner with His disciples.  It would be the last time they would be all together on this earth.  Jesus is teaching them a significant way to remember Him and His sacrifice He was preparing to give for them and for the world.

Jesus instructed the disciples to prepare for the Passover dinner, where He would then institute The Lord's Supper.  In preparation, He gave His disciples specific instructions on where to go and how to get ready for the dinner.  Verse 10 says, "when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters."

This man carrying a pitcher of water unassumingly stepped into one of the most historical events ever.  Though his name is never mentioned in scripture, he did an incredible service for the Lord and was used mightily for eternal purposes.  The man carrying a pitcher of water led the way for the Living Water to serve His disciples...and ultimately us.

This nameless man, carrying a water pot, was to lead the disciples to where they would eat Passover with the Lamb of God.  We don't give the man much thought, but you see in that day it was not the job of a man to be carrying the water pot.  If men carried water, it would be in an animal skin, NOT a pitcher of water. That is why this man carrying a pitcher of water was a unique sign for the disciples.

Carrying pitchers of water was a woman's chore.  The women would carry clay pots on their head or shoulders to the well and bring back the water for their households.  

Why was this man doing this job on that day?  What had happened in his life?  What was his story? Had he lost his wife?  Had he experienced a tragedy that left him brokenhearted?  Was his wife chronically ill? Had he made a mistake that left him alone? Was he wondering why life had turned out that way?  Had he lost everything?

There had to be a reason for this man to be there on that specific day at that exact time...doing a woman's chore.

We don't know the details of this man's life.  All we know is that the Lord used him as a sign that day and that it would be for a significant reason that he was carrying the water pitcher.

God took note of this man's life and circumstances.

God took note and used this man's weakness, vulnerability and willingness.

For in this man's circumstances, weaknesses, vulnerability and willingness were the exact things that made him useful to the Lord that day.

Maybe this man had felt unworthy to be used by the Lord.  Too crushed to be able to serve.  Maybe he had been praying to be used by the Lord.  Perhaps he stopped praying because it seemed impossible.

But God chose to use him through a mundane chore of life:  carrying a water pitcher. Right there! God meets this man right where he is...in the mundaneness of carrying water.  Such a typical chore.  It certainly didn't seem glorious at the time.  But water is necessary for life.  And this man was used in God's plan of salvation.  The Lord didn't have to use him.  The Lord could have used anyone.  But God chose this unnamed man to carry the water pitcher.  

There are many people the Lord used as His vessels along the way that are not mentioned in scripture.  This man is.  He is written about in God's Word and remembered all these years later.  

Remembered for carrying a water pitcher.

Were there painful struggles in his life that led up to this day where he was carrying a water pitcher?  Were they worth it?  I bet he sits on the other side of eternity and says "yes"! If his circumstances of life were difficult, they are insignificant to him now.  He was honored to be used by the Lord on a special night.  

This is the character of God!  He is still like that with us.  He still uses us in our state of brokenness.  He uses us because of our brokenness.  His gracious hand is involved in the whole process.  

May the Lord use us more in the seemingly mundane acts of life.  May we sense His hand in our trials.  May we be more useful to Him because of our mistakes, our tragedies, our broken hearts.  Let Him use them in your life, too.

Carry the water pitcher today. It may seem like a meaningless and mundane task that no one values or notices.  But be faithful to carry His water pitcher.  Perhaps others are following you where you are going.

Be the broken but willing vessel available to the Lord.

~ by Jennifer Roche


"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, 
that the excellence of the power 
may be of God and not of us."
2 Corinthians 4:7

As a special gift to one of you, one of Jen's beautifully designed and handmade Woman of Virtue pendants will be given away!  Just leave a comment mentioning a mundane task you are doing today as unto the Lord.  Ask the Lord to use your faithfulness and obedience for His glory!  The winner of the pendant will be announced later this week!



"I have chosen Bezalel...
and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, 
with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts -- 
to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 
to cut and set stones..."
Exodus 31:1-5

2 comments:

Kayleen Hilyer said...

One task I hate doing is clearing clutter in my apartment. I live alone. Every time I walk in, I look around and think to myself, "Lord, all this chaos & clutter is just what my life is like right now." This morning , before I sat down at my computer, I told the Lord that this would be the day that I started to get rid of it all...in my heart & in my apartment! I know that will bring glory to His name! And if I do the stuff in my apartment as unto the Lord...it will be a lot easier! Plus, with a clean apartment I will be able to invite friends over for fellowship!

Patrick said...

"And He said to them,
'Behold, when you have entered the city,
a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water;
follow him into the house which he enters." - Just thought you should know that this verse symbolizes house of Aquarius, the water bearer, whose sign is a man carrying a pitcher of water.