Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water come from deep within him.” He said this about the Spirit.
John 7:37-38 (CSB)
This passage has been rolling around in my mind since the message at our church on Sunday. Honestly, I haven’t been as consistent with my quiet time / devotions / meeting with Jesus this fall. Lots of different factors. But this verse just grabbed my heart and reminded me of the importance of coming.
First, I need to admit my thirst. Oh, how thirsty I am for God in my life; how desperately I need Him. Daily the thirst renews. I come thirsty and then He provides the drink. God’s Word is always just what we need, always encouraging, always satisfying. I’ve noticed recently that no matter where I happen to be reading in His Word, God meets me and speaks to me. It truly is a remarkable, supernatural and living Word.
Second, I need to believe in Jesus. I must come to Him and “believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Believing is throwing the full weight of my need toward the hope of Jesus. I believe and He provides the streams of living Water. He provides the Holy Spirit who produces the change in my life. Instead of a dried up, thirsty life, now there is flowing, Spirit-directed life coming from within me.
It’s been a long couple of weeks and this woman, this mama needs streams of living water! How about you?
There is a parallel passage written by the prophet Isaiah, who lived hundreds of years before Christ: “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters . . . Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare” (Isaiah 55:1-2). This passage stirs in my heart the desire to meet with Jesus. I am thirsty, so I will come to Him. I will come to the Word and eat what is good and my soul will be delighted.
Believe and come to Jesus, my friends!
Only He will quench our thirst and delight our soul.
PS: Want to read some Thanksgiving thoughts from me? Here’s a post I wrote for our Eagle Church blog.
Such a good reminder. I too am thirsty! Funny how I seem to reach for an extra coffee and donut before the Word of God oftentimes. His Spirit really is the only thing that satisfies. Thank you friend for the reminder!
Oh me too! I reach for that next cup of coffee way too quickly…need to run to Jesus first! Thanks for reading. 🙂