Thirsty?

Along a country road you will often find a stopping place with a simple pipe coming up from the ground. Flowing from this pipe is a rushing, bubbling, sparkling spring of water! This pipe channels a never-ending source of cool fresh water pushed out from a vein deep within the earth. While water is available from almost every household tap, once someone has discovered one of these springs of living water, they will drive for miles, bringing jugs to fill. You may never understand until you have tasted this water and experienced first-hand the refreshment it brings. Water like this can bring refreshment—even satisfaction—to a tired and thirsty body, quenching and extinguishing the burning ache that thirst can cause. But what can satisfy our deep inner thirst? That burning guilt of wrongs we have done? What can wash those deep wounds of the hurts we have incurred from chasing the next “latest and greatest” only to find that it was not as great as promised? According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report from May 2, 2013, suicide has increased 23% in all four major regions of the United States. The statistic for those ages 35 to 64 has increased 28%. Where can a thirsty soul find refreshment, hope, relief, and fulfillment? Jesus tells us in John 4:14, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” Maybe you are reading this and think, “I have tried religion.” True, but have you tried Jesus? Water in a pond is going to taste much different than that special water from a fresh vein deep within the earth. We are invited to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalms 34:8). Our physical bodies become thirsty as our reserve of water is exhausted. Our body can’t create a source of water to continue its functions, yet our body was created with a need for water. We are dependent upon other sources to provide this most basic life-sustaining need. Our soul was also created with a need—one that we cannot provide for ourselves. Our souls were created with the need to have a relationship with God. Without that relationship, an unquenchable thirst remains. What prevents us from quenching this thirst? It is our sin. The Bible says, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20). Sin is anything that offends God. He has given us His Ten Commandments, or requirements. They include things like no lying, no stealing, and no lustful thoughts. To make matters worse, we are also informed that “whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). Yes, even if we could keep nine of the commandments perfectly, yet break one, we would be guilty of every one! And every one of us is guilty before a Holy God who sees every action, knows every secret thought, and hears every word. But there is good news—God loves you! The Bible says, “For the wages [payment] of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). This is where Jesus comes in. Because of our sin, we could never approach God, so God the Son came to us! He, God in human flesh, lived a sinless perfect life to redeem us from the judgment of God. Having lived a perfect life in our place, He then took our place and bore God’s judgment for us. Do you thirst for forgiveness in your soul? Do you believe God loves you and paid your judgment? Romans 5:8 tells us that “God commendeth [shows] His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” If you are honest, you know that you have sinned. You know that you deserve the judgment Jesus took. Will you simply admit that to Him? Will you ask Him to give you the water of life that He offers? John 3:16 tells us that “God so loved the world that He Gave His only begotten Son [Jesus], that whosoever [insert your name] believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Death without Christ leads to hell—a place of unquenchable thirst. Life with Christ is an eternal home in heaven, where the river of life flows from His throne (Revelation 22:1). Hear his invitation to you today: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).