The Chocolate Milk Story
Following is a recounting of an experience that helps illustrate what happens when you are born again. This is the story as told by one of the founders of ZOE Ministries:
I had been trying to explain to a friend about what it meant to be born again. We were both frustrated at my inability to explain salvation in a way he could understand. So, I was thinking about this and was asking God, “What actually happens to us on the inside when we accept Jesus as Savior?” Then I became aware that the Lord was showing me a tall, clear, cylindrical glass about three-fourths full of white milk. I asked, “Lord, what does that mean?”
The Lord said to me, “That glass represents your body and the milk represents your spirit.”
I saw a can of Hershey’s chocolate syrup on the table next to the glass. (Now, I don’t usually have visions of chocolate. I’m actually not fond of chocolate, so I remember thinking it was significant that there would be a can of chocolate.)
Then, I saw what appeared to be a hand pick up the can of chocolate and pour the syrup into the glass of milk. I watched as the chocolate syrup settled to the bottom of the glass. I thought, “I wonder what that represents.”
The Lord said to me, “The glass represents your body, the milk represents your spirit, and the chocolate represents what happens when you are born again—My Spirit comes and lives in your spirit and you become born again.”
I thought, “That’s interesting, Lord. Look at how the chocolate has settled.”
The Lord said, “This is what happens to people who are born again and don’t do anything more in their walk with Christ.”
Then I saw the hand holding a spoon. The spoon was inserted into the glass and it stirred up the chocolate milk. I became excited as I saw the chocolate and the milk become blended together. I asked, “What is happening, Lord?”
The Lord said, “The spoon represents spending time with Me in prayer, worship, and My Word.”
I realized that when we spend time praying, worshiping God, and reading His Word, then God’s Spirit and our spirit become blended together.
Then I saw the spoon whipping up the chocolate and the milk, and the milk flowed over the glass out on to the table.
When I saw the milk spilling out, I was reminded of John 7:38: “He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (NKJV). I realized that as we spend time with the Lord, out of our hearts will flow rivers of living water. We should be touching people’s lives with the zoe kind of life.
I got really excited. I thought, “Now I can go and explain this to my friend!”
But, then I felt another nudge from the Lord saying, “We’re not finished yet.” I watched as the spoon was taken out of the milk. I saw the chocolate settle to the bottom of the glass again.
The Lord said, “This is what happens to people who do not spend time daily with me. The glass represents their body, the milk represents their spirit, and the chocolate is my Spirit. They are born again, but without spending time with Me in the Word, worship and prayer, they cannot be as effective for My kingdom.”
God desires to fellowship with us as we spend time reading Scripture and worshiping Him and conversing with Him. He wants to fill us to overflowing with rivers of living water.
