So, I was doing a little research on the dead sea a while back and it kind of shot me back to a point that we prayed at Church last Friday. I'll get to that in a minute, but first let me give you a few facts about this sea -
1. First, it's not really a sea! It's a salt water lake.
2.There's no marine life in the Dead Sea, hence the name. The high mineral and salt content of the body of water make it impossible for fish and plants to live. The name 'Dead Sea' is actually a kinder, gentler translation from the Hebrew name 'Yam ha Maved', which means, 'Killer Sea'. Fish accidentally swimming into the waters from one of the several freshwater streams that feed the Sea are killed instantly, their bodies quickly coated with a preserving layer of salt crystals and then tossed onto shore by the wind and waves. Brutal!
3. Water flows into the sea from smaller rivers and ponds, but it doesn't flow out.
4. The Dead Sea is one of the saltiest on earth, almost six times as salty as the ocean! The seawater comprises about 300 grams of salt per kilogram of seawater.
5. Because of the extremely high concentration of dissolved mineral salts in the water, its density is way more than that of plain fresh water. What this means is our bodies are more buoyant in the Dead Sea. In fact, people are so buoyant in this body of water, it makes it kind of tough to actually swim. Most people like to just kick back in the water and read, like the guy in this picture!
This got me thinking about the point we prayed last Friday. We prayed for the grace to bless others as God blesses us. It is important that as God adds to us, that we add to others and not be like the human Dead sea that has water flowing into it but does not flow out (#3). We cannot afford to hoard God's blessings and expect that God will continue to pour into us; at one point, your cup gets full and there's no reason to keep pouring. No one wants a life of drought, a life that doesn't build anything; a life that kills and stifles everything in its path (#2).
God told Abraham in Genesis 12 vs 2-3 - " I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” In this passage, you see that in the promise of God to Abraham, He gives him a command as well. "...and you SHALL be a blessing" It's not a request. It's a requirement of God's blessing. Then verse 2 also states that God will bless those who bless Abraham. It's a two-way street; give and receive. Your vessel has to be empty (or close to it) to be filled! It'll look really ridiculous to carry a bucket already filled with water to the pond to fetch water, wouldn't it?
Proverbs 11 vs 25 - "The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself". One canNOT go without the other. You have to have a generous soul to be made rich by God and as you are getting "watered" by God, do the same for others, or else....that supply will cease. It's the way of God.
I know I gave 5 facts about the Dead Sea, I actually had use for 2...I thought the other 3 were kinda cool! LOL.
Reflect on this and make a conscious effort to be a blessing to others in the things that you do and the way that you live.
On that note, have a blessed and God filled day!!!
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