Just Add Water - Lenten Journey Day 32 Devotional - April 10, 2014

"It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the one who is thirsty I will give water free of charge from the spring of the water of life.” – Revelation 21:6

Writer's block.  That’s extremely frustrating in the wee hours of the night.  How could I be at a loss for words sitting here at Chapman Library, surrounded by books FULL of words?!!  But my mind was somewhere else.  Most people that know me are aware I drink a ridiculous amount of water daily, about 3 liters to be exact.  Today I’m running behind and it finally reached a point where I was distracted by thirst.  So, in desperation I stumbled across the library looking for a water foundation like I was crossing the Sahara Desert.  I’m sure I looked pitiful.  I got a few curious looks that confirmed as much, but I didn’t care…I needed water.

When I got to the water fountain I couldn’t have been happier. 

Granted, I paused for a moment because I think it’s psychologically disturbing to drink from water fountains DIRECTLY in front of a bathroom entrance.  I paused again because the water seemed a tad bit “cloudy”.  And yes, I paused once more because I thought I heard a fizzy sound (my friend assured me it was just air bubbles) when the water came out.  But ultimately, I drank, my body was thankful, and my writing began. 

That’s what we do when we’re thirsty.  And, as I drank my cloudy, fizzy, fountain water I had a moment of pause.  Do I thirst for God?  Do I thirst for Him the way that David did? Does drinking from His fountain bring me joy?

David couldn’t helping singing about his thirst.

“As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God” – Psalm 42:1

“O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.” – Psalm 63:1

David’s thirst was in his soul.  A thirst deeper than our physical bodies could ever know. 

Why did David long for God this way?

Physical water quenches our physical thirst; but only temporarily. In a moment it refreshes and then it is gone. 

But there’s a need and a longing at the soul level that needs to be quenched.  It is in Christ, the living water, that we get that and so much more.

“But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again--ever! In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life." -  John 4:14

Now at times we forget this promise and start dipping our buckets in dry wells.  We start dipping our buckets in people, busyness, material things, etc. 

“They have abandoned me--the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!” - Jeremiah 2:13

How do you know when you’re dipping in the wrong wells or drinking from the wrong fountain?  You start to feel spiritually dehydrated. 

But just like my physical body told me it was time to DRINK, our spiritual body will give us signs of thirst as well.

What happens when we drink from His fountain?

We are refreshed and restored.

“For I will pour out water to quench your thirst and to irrigate your parched fields. And I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children.” - Isaiah 44:3

We are cleansed. 

“I will sprinkle clean water on you and you shall be clean…I will cleanse you” – Ezekiel 36:25

There is nothing cloudy, fizzy, or weird about that.  His water gives us abundant LIFE.

All we need to do is come to His fountain and drink.

“For I will pour out water to quench your thirst and to irrigate your parched fields. And I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children.” - Isaiah 44:3

Are there any areas of your life feeling a little parched?

Where are you sensing a little dehydration?

Are you ready to come to THE Fountain with me?

Let’s drink up…and never thirst again.

Let’s pray: Father God, I come to You as the fountain of life.  In my dry wilderness, You are faithful to offer me living water.  May I drink deep, Your living water.  May I draw deeply from Your wells.  May I be refreshed and restored in Your presence.  May I be cleansed and transformed.  As You pour out your waters on me and bring life to my parched land, may I pass Your cup to others that thirst for your grace and offer them Your living water as well.  Amen.