LEAN. LEAK. LIVE

These three words came to my mind this morning.
I wasn't sure what at first, they meant, and decided to contemplate them for awhile to see if they had any connection. 
I think they do.

LEAN
Probably the greatest need we all have is to "lean into" Jesus.
Many times life can throw us a curveball. We don't know what to do next. Or  perhaps we might have a clue, but we need some added input.
Maybe we are going through something that has lasted in our opinions, way too long. We are ready to give up. We have no strength left. We are just plain empty.
It is often in these times that we realize we need help. That we don't have the resources, the energy, or the stamina to keep going. Life just seems unbearable.
This is the time that we have depleted our selves of everything and we finally realize that we need JESUS. 
I don't know about you but when am I going to get it through my thick skull that I really need to go to Jesus FIRST. Why is it that I think I can handle things on my own? Granted there are things I can do on my own, but when I am in the midst of a trial, whether it be a short one or the kind that lingers for years, WHY do I think I can do this without HIM?

There is NEVER a day when we do not NEED JESUS. Some days we are acutely aware of it much more than others. But what we need most is to lean into Jesus. To cling to Jesus. To trust Jesus, even when there is no answer coming to our trial. We need to be leaning into the fact that HE LOVES US like no other. That nothing happens to us that He is not aware of. That He is the ONLY ONE who can supply us with the strength, the grace we need to keep going.
Leaning into Jesus causes us to remember we are not alone. Reminds us that He is with us every step we take, every breath we breathe. He is there. He is more than willing to supply us what we need moment by moment. 
Our only responsibility is to GO TO HIM.
Sounds easy enough. We just need to do it.

LEAK
Does your life represent Jesus well? 
To be honest, sometimes I might look a little bit like Jesus, and other times, I 
look nothing like my Savior. But I truly believe we are Christ's ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) here on earth. That we are to look like Him, act like Him, love like Him, extend grace like He did. We may be the only Jesus someone ever sees. 
Our lives are to LEAK Jesus. We need to look like we have been with Him. That Jesus Christ is our role model. That we imitate Him (as Ephesians 5:1). We are to live as if we are oozing the life of Jesus in our lives. 
Even when life is not fun. Even when we don't feel like it-that's a hard one. So often I want to be a brat, be concerned with only what I want. And not to have to think what might be for the better of someone else.
Jesus tho, commanded us to "Love each other as I have loved you." (John 15:12). Love unselfishly, love extending grace and forgiveness, love unconditionally. Love when you will get nothing in return. Love as Jesus does. And when we do that, when we love like Jesus, we will LEAK Jesus out into a world that desperately needs to be loved.
The way we can LEAK Jesus, maybe the best way we can leak Jesus is to be with Jesus; to spend time with Jesus. In doing that, we come away reflecting Him. That is what we are meant to do.

LIVE
When we have spent time with Jesus, when we have sought His direction, His Words, we begin to look more like Jesus.
We are to live like Jesus did. 
Thinking of others as more important than ourselves. (Philippians 2:4)
Being humble and gentle like Jesus.
Extending Grace and mercy and forgiveness like Jesus.
Having time for others. Even when its inconvenient.
Being willing to sacrifice our lives: our time, our money, our resources for others.
We are to live for Jesus.
We are to live like Jesus.
We are to live with Jesus.
We are to live in Jesus.

If we really were aware of leaning , leaking and living like Jesus, our world would look so much different.