A Spring Within Me: Becoming the Expression of His Creative Grace
His life in me is no longer a cup I hold out—but a spring that rises from within, unceasing and eternal.
E. Stanley Jones is pressing deeper into the miracle of divine union—not only that we are in Christ, but that Christ is in us. He reminds us that it is not enough to be merely positioned in Him, as though tucked away safely in the embrace of divine security, yet without initiative or expression. Christ’s presence within us transforms passive dependence into active participation in His life.
Jones draws our attention to the words of Jesus in John 4:14—not only do we receive living water from Him, but that very gift becomes a spring within us, welling up, bubbling forth, creating a source from within that flows with eternal vitality. That changes everything.
This isn’t just about getting to heaven someday. It’s about the Father’s intention to form creative, life-giving people who overflow with the same character as the One who indwells them. True grace doesn't stop at forgiveness—it energizes. It doesn't suppress the individual—it sanctifies personality and awakens purpose. Heaven is not a passive absorption of divine blessings; it's an environment of perpetual outflow and holy initiative, a place where sons and daughters of God, fully alive, express His nature for eternity.
We were never meant to sit on the shoreline sipping from external fountains. We are meant to become the wellspring, where Christ’s life surges through our spirit, shaping us into givers—not just recipients—of His unending life.
Personalized Journal Entry (Holy Spirit’s Voice Through Scripture):
I have poured living water into you, not to leave you still, but to awaken My movement within you. You are not only found in Christ—you are filled with Christ. I am not a distant fountain for you to visit but a living spring within your spirit, rising up to eternal life. You were once thirsty, searching outwardly, but now you are complete in Him who is the Head of all rule and authority.
This gift in you is not stagnant—it bubbles, it breathes, it bears fruit. I have given you everything that pertains to life and godliness. My divine power is not something you strive to receive; it is already working in you both to will and to do for My good pleasure.
You were created in Christ Jesus for good works, which I prepared beforehand, that you might walk in them. Not as one needing to chase My presence, but as one carrying My presence. Not as one asking for light, but as one who is light in the Lord. My life in you does not make you dependent in weakness—it makes you alive with possibility.
This is eternal life—not just duration, but a divine quality—Christ in you, the hope of glory. You are no longer a vessel needing to be filled again and again from without. You are the temple of the living God, and I dwell in you. The wellspring cannot run dry, because the Source is in you.
Now abide in Me, and let My words abide in you. Overflow. Express. Move in the rhythm of grace. Heaven is not someday—it begins with every moment you allow Me to live through you.
(John 4:14; Colossians 2:10; 2 Peter 1:3; Philippians 2:13; Ephesians 2:10; John 17:3; Colossians 1:27; 2 Corinthians 6:16; John 15:7)
Prayer:
Father, thank You that I no longer live from an external source. Christ is not only my righteousness, He is my very life. I praise You that I am not a weak receiver clinging for another drop—but a living expression of Your grace, with Christ flowing from within me like a spring that will never run dry. I trust You to stir up that spring in every conversation, every action, and every quiet moment today. This is not a life I achieve—it is a life I now receive, moment by moment. Let it pour forth. Let it reveal You. Let it delight You.
Devotional Credit:
Devotional insights adapted from In Christ by E. Stanley Jones.
Photo Credit:
Photo from Unsplash