“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

Have you ever been thirsty? I mean so dry all you can think about is water, just a drink of cold, clear water. You are so thirsty that nothing else matters; you are consumed with the desire for water. Being thirsty is an illustration Jesus uses it is in John 4, where he meets a woman at the well. The lady came to the well during the off hours to not suffer ridicule from others. She was afraid to be singled out and noticed by the townspeople. Criticism rather than help was more than likely what she would receive. She is surprised that Jesus, a Jewish male, would even speak to her. Jesus remarked that if she knew who she was talking to, she would have asked him for a drink.

Jesus uses the idea of being thirsty as a way of describing what he and he alone can do for eager hearts, assuage the thirst, and supply a never-ending stream of living water. Jesus finds an obvious and powerful way of communicating the longing of the human spirit and our inability to quench this thirst. People attempt to meet this need in temporary ways that never fully satisfy. Our hearts are thirsty for a Savior. Though often, we try to assuage the thirst with things, prestige, and power only to be left even more empty. Jesus promises us not only to meet our thirst one time but to build a “spring of living water” right inside of our lives.

Some of the problems that I have witnessed people wrestle with over the years were things that were cheap substitutes for living water. At times people will try to solve this thirst problem using temporary methods. Jesus is the only one who can satisfy the deepest longings of the heart. One comes to Christ by believing, as the Scriptures have said, according to Jesus. Believing is more than just mental understanding but involves a commitment of the entire person and obeying and following the Lord. The rivers of living water is a source that comes from inside of us, but we did not start it, it began with believing in Jesus and walking in His ways.

Today I am thankful for the cleansing and satisfying work of Jesus in my life. If you are thirsty, I know who can help you! I know the only one who can help you!

Water in well on wall in forest

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