Living Water

 

 

Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

 

 

Who remembers summer time?! Think back on those scorching summer days, with the sun beaming down upon you and how thirsty it had made you for a sweet beverage. We know it would be best to go for a bottle of water, but man oh man would it be sweet to down a can of Mountain Dew or any other sweet drink for that matter. So instead of taking the H20 route, we rebel it out with a sweet soda. Although it taste so delicious, we never find our thirst becoming quenched and only leaves us thirstier than before! It’s not until after that soda we are reminded that the water would have been ever more satisfying in the long run, although not so instantly gratifying. Do you ever find yourself feeling this inadequacy with things in your life around you? Have you found yourself seeking thirst quenchers in jobs, money, self-appearance, social acceptance or even relationships that do not drive you towards Christ? I have found myself in prior years trying to pull parts out of these areas in my life to attempt fitting a puzzle together to make me feel whole. As I strived to try harder for these things, I just became thirstier in the process. I have struggled with insecurities, worries, and anxiety relating to my level of acceptance from THE WORLD. I drowned in un-Christ like relationships, putting all of my faith in man on Earth and sought my security fully in people. I suffocated in my anxiety over financial situations and sought security in my job to fix these anxieties. My attention was focused on who disliked, who liked me and sought to find out all of the reasons why. I was trying to draw water from empty wells, leaving me thirsty. Then Psalm 42:1 My soul pants for you Lord, pulled my attention elsewhere. The Lord simply stopped me and suggested that my soul pants for Him instead. Guess what? I have never been more quenched in my life. Now don’t get me wrong, life isn’t picture perfect, but with Christ it is so fulfilling I can hardly understand it sometimes! God approaches our souls in the weakest and gives us and Oasis. John 7:37 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.” Christ wants to take us from these distractions and fill every empty void with his everlasting water of life that will quench our thirst eternally. He also welcomes ANYONE to come to Him. In our minds, some situations seem impossible and we feel the need to try controlling on how we fill the voids in our lives. The wells we go to are empty, false wells and they don’t have what we need. Let it seem impossible and hand it over to Christ, because it’s not about you it’s about what God wants to do. Jesus has what we need, and He knows what that is better than we do. What God wants to do is show you His love, mercy, friendships, kindness and total acceptance. He promises many things to us, John 10:27-30 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one. He promises us eternal security. Christ promises a love that is eternal, unconditional and overflowing. He promises a peace that truly surpasses all understanding and a joy that fills us abundantly. He promises His strength in times of trial and that He will never forsake us when we feel alone. When we drink from the water Christ has to offer, we are filled with love and peace in which we can reflect back to the world to show what we experience. God wants to show us what He has for us, in which the world cannot offer to us.  Christ came down and chose to place himself in a world of pain and suffering to show us exactly the love and acceptance our Father in Heaven has for us. James 4:14 Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. I still ask myself today, “Why did I put my faith in things that will vanish?” This world is temporary, but God is forever! Ever since I have drank from the water of Jesus, my life has become filled with plentiful peace, love, Christ-centered relationships, joy, and grace. We can run to Jesus and be granted eternal thirst. Choose to leave your empty wells for a well worth abundant and full spring of life.