Water to a Weary Soul (2019-09-01, Verse of the Day Devotional)
“‘He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:38 NKJV)
As another hurricane looms off our Atlantic seaboard, one of the fastest things to disappear from store shelves is bottled water. “Why is that?” one may ask. When power is knocked out by severe weather, water treatment can no longer occur. Fresh drinking water is only available, then, to those who have stored it up. Without water, we die in a matter of days. Blessed is the one who gets enough water on-hand to share with others.
In both the Old and New Testaments, the Spirit of God is referred to as either living water or rivers in the desert. This blessing to the people of God is like a tall cold drink of sweet tea to a southerner or a cold brewski to those who imbibe.
The most thirsty time I remember growing up was when our family took a trip in Taiwan from Taichung to Tainan, on the southern end of the island. We were riding on a bus and commercially bottled water was a thing some 30 years in the future. We were unable to drink the water there, unless it was boiled, and during the whole trip the only thing I had been able to drink was a warm apple soda – a drink which did not slake my thirst. We finally came to a stop where someone had just boiled water for tea. Gratefully, I took a glass of hot water, let it cool until only warm and was able to quench my dry throat with that glass.
Every village must have a source of water, whether lake, stream, river or well. Once one has water, boiling or other means can make it useful, but without water the village will not survive. Jesus was in this verse speaking to the Samaritan woman who had come to the well to draw water, and used the occasion to explain how vital what He had to offer was to this woman’s soul.
In like manner, Isaiah prophetically proclaimed God’s call to the nation of Israel. He said,
“‘Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.’” (Isaiah 55:1 NKJV)
So must we offer the Gospel of Christ to a world thirsty for His love. We must not be the, “do-this, don’t-do-that,” committee. Instead, we must recognize that we have a dry and weary land around us, with folks desperate for the water of life our Lord provides.
Let us be water-bearers to a thirsty world. After all, they can’t long survive without what we have to offer. The hurricane of life has struck down many o fellow-traveler. Don’t hoard the water in times of need – share it!
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