Day 6 The Spring Gate (Ten Days at Ten Gates)

Read Day 6 in Ten Days at 10 Gates

Today we enter through the Spring Gate.  Here is a article about this gate. The Fountain Gate

I have to tell you as a Hebrew nerd, I love that Grant Lutton tells us the Hebrew words for these gates.  I just eat up that kind of information.  Yum  I love that he takes a moment to point out that “ayin” is the same word for “eye.”  Sometimes I see people in our society wearing a seeing eye, or other pagan eye symbols, and I would, “which came first the chicken or the egg.”  If you understand my meaning.  So, often we as Bible people can look at the pagan ways and say that is pagan rooted, but the more I study the Bible I question if the pagans actually stole things from the Creator.  After all He was from the beginning, and He doesn’t change.  I digress.

As I read the article, I wondered where He was going, and again,  I love his conclusion of the lesson we can learn from this gate:

“The key, once again, is
to see the similarity between an eye and a
spring. Just as a spring continuously gives
its water to all who come to it in need, so we
are to cast generous eyes on all who come to
us in need.
Consider Solomon’s words: “He who
gives to the poor will never want, but he
who shuts his eyes will have many curses.”
A person who “shuts his eyes” to the poor is
like a spring that closes itself to the thirsty.
Why would a spring ever do that? First, it
 wouldn’t because it can’t. Second, if it did, it
would be defying its purpose for existence.
In the same way, if you close your eye to
the poor, you are behaving as unnaturally
as a spring that withholds its water.
Additionally, you are defying your purpose
for existence. “Freely you have received, so
freely give.” -Grant Lutton

Again, I am so excited that he then quotes from Matthew 6, the very passages the kids and I are digging deep into.

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Matthew 6 :22-25

I am not sure why, but whenever I think of this passage in Matthew, it makes me think of a passage in James chapter 3.

With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be! Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness. James 3:9-17

Yehovah God,

Help me keep my eyes healthy.  Fill me with Your Light.  I do not want to serve any other master, but You.  I want to be devoted to you all my days.  I remember when I was at church camp as a little girl, and I told you that I place you on the Throne of my life.  I ask that You would keep me from looking away from You, protect my vision, may it only be from You and Your Word.  

Give me eyes to see the needs of others, and let me pour out the blessings you have given to me on others.  Give me  the wisdom from above that  is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. Make me a peacemaker who sow in peace and reaps the fruit of righteousness. 

Amen

Written by Katie