I inherited a lot of things from my mother.

I have her eyes, her nose, her smile. I even have her proclivity for puzzles and love for all things DIY.

I did not, however, inherit her green thumb.

Not saying I haven’t tried. Oh, how I’ve tried. I love plants, especially indoor ones. And I have exhausted my fair share of books, google searches, and Youtube videos in an attempt to keep said plants alive. Unfortunately, however, I’m just not very good at it.

Frustrated by track record of dead flowers, I believed I’d finally found the answer one day during my weekly strolls through Home Depot’s garden department: a self-watering pot.

It was perfect! So long as you kept the outside reservoir full, the plant would “take care of itself” by only drawing in the moisture it needed. No more over or under watering. Surely, this plant would survive.

I took it home, placed it on a table, filled the water container, and was prepared to be amazed at my beautiful new plant. But, when I got up the next day, I was surprised to find the water reservoir empty. Thinking the plant was just dried out from its lack of attention in the store, I refilled it and went about my business.

The next day: same exact thing. Empty water reservoir.

Refill and repeat. Again and again and again.

All the while, my beautiful new plant began to shrivel.

This scenario went on longer than I care to admit until I finally figured out what was happening. The magical self-watering pot had a leak in it. Little to no water was actually going to my plant, no matter how much I was putting in; the water was, in fact, dripping down the back of my table and onto the floor below. I had somehow, yet again, killed an un-killable plant.

See what I mean about having a black thumb?

But this little mishap got me thinking about Christians. We can go to church, sing the songs, read the books…and still be like that little dying plant on my table.

How?

D.L. Moody, evangelist and founder of the Moody Bible Institute, put it this way: “We’re all leaky vessels, and we have to keep right under the fountain all the time to keep full of Christ, and so have a fresh supply.”

In the book of Lamentations, the writer marvels at how “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (3: 22-23)

That same promise is available to us. God’s love, mercy, and grace is available to us every minute of every day. It is unmeasurable and unceasing (just like the water I continued to pour in my broken planter). The problem is that, our sinful nature acts like a hole in the pot; we often let those precious gifts slip away, whether it be because of distraction, busyness, or shame. In short, no matter how much God pours into us, we are all guilty of letting most of it just leak right on through. That is why sometimes, even those of us who claim to follow Jesus find ourselves weary, burdened, and flat-out broken. The very thing we need to supply life is right there…slipping through the holes in our sin-wounded hearts.

This is why daily communion with Christ’s presence is vital for believers. You simply cannot live any kind of abundant life without it. Too many become “Christians” by reciting words from a preacher, never give another passing thought to Jesus, and wonder why becoming a Christian didn’t “fix” anything. Other Christians go to church on Sundays but live just like the world around them come Monday, and also wonder why their faith hasn’t made them feel better. Still others do all the “Christian things” with their minds but remain far from Jesus in their hearts.

Every single one of these scenarios is the result of the same problem: the problem of relying on the grace they received from God weeks, months, year ago–grace that has long-since unknowingly leaked from their buckets and has yet to be refilled by any kind of meaningful reconnection with the God who longs to provide it.

Accepting Christ into your heart is great, but it’s not a one-time occurrence. Going to church is wonderful, but it’s meaningless if the sermon is forgotten as soon as you walk out the door. Doing all the “Christian things” is fantastic, but it’s your love that God is really after.

In short, we need Jesus, every hour of every day, to continuously fill the leaky vessel that is our soul. Without a continuous supply of His “living water,” we will wither and die, no matter how good our deeds or shiny our labels.

Moody illustrated this very point by describing a farm he once visited in California. The crops and fields were a vibrant, thriving shade of green. Yet, just beyond the hedge, everything was brown, crunchy, and dried-up. Dead. Constant irrigation from a nearby water source had allowed the crops to flourish; those without it perished.

Thirst daily for God. Seek Him. And He will answer in abundance.