The Funnel

How do we bring glory to God? The Bible's short answer is: by growing more and more like Jesus Christ.  Sinclair B. Ferguson

The definition of a funnel is: a tube or pipe that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, used for guiding liquid or powder into a small opening.  Some synonyms for funnel include channel, feed, direct, convey and conduit. 

I decided to look at God and myself from the perspective of a funnel.  A funnel is a great invention.  We often use them to pour large amounts of liquid or powder into a smaller vessel.  So if you look at this from a Godly point of view; we could say that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are the funnel.  If we are the vessel then God would be the outpouring of the substance that makes us more like Jesus. 

So we could look at the mouth of the funnel as a conduit for information.  At the top of the funnel all kinds of information and knowledge is being poured into us.  Some of the information is good and other information not so good.  The funnels purpose in this instance is to funnel only the good information into the vessel.  If you have all the bad stuff that the world feeds us trying to get through the narrow neck of the vessel; the good stuff can sometimes get pushed aside for inconsequential, unimportant stuff.  The scriptures that best describe this are Matthew 7:13-14.  “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

What happens when we find life and only allow the good stuff through the funnel?  Take the funnel and invert it with the smaller end at the top.  God blesses others ten-fold when we allow Him to use us for His purpose.  He then in turn pours out blessings on us for obeying Him “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:8-10.

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, help me to funnel out the worthless stuff in my life and become a vessel for Your purpose.  The world bombards us daily with things that can hinder our walk with You.  “Help me to have compassion for others, love as brothers, being tenderhearted and courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that I am called to this, that I may inherit a blessing. Help me to love life, see good days, refrain from speaking evil and deceit.  Help me to turn away from evil and do good and seek peace and pursue it.  Your eyes are righteous and your ears are open to my prayers.”    

       

Scripture: But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. 2 Timothy 2:20-21