Are You Thirsty?
Now on the last day, the great day of the feast,
Jesus stood and cried out, saying,
"If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said,]
'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water."
- John 7:37-38
I kept handling all of the circumstances that came into my life in MY strength. I was super strong. I didn't need God to help me. I could do it by myself and it was very important to me that other people saw this strength emanating from me. Oh, I was thirsty, so very thirsty, but I was also very proud!
The circumstances that come into our lives create this thirst, this intense need for spiritual sustenance, but so many of us are controlled by our pride. Surely I can handle this! What will other people think—that I'm not all that spiritual—that I'm weak—that I can't handle what life throws at me. That is the manifestation of pride, isn't it?[1]
So the very first thing I must do is acknowledge my thirst. I finally gave up: Lord, I am so thirsty! I don't have any strength left! I'm drained. I need water. My lips are swollen, they're split and parched. My throat's like sand paper. I simply cannot go on without some relief.
Then decision time is here. Where will I go to get this thirst satisfied? I will, when I am thirsty enough, drink from the world's cup of temporary, pleasant relief offered to me through Satan, who is the ruler of this world (John 14:30). But this "relief" backfires and I wind up out of the frying pan into the fire! There is another alternative—the cup that Jesus offered me that day so long ago: "If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink." I have to decide where I am going to go, to the world or to Him. So to "come" to Him is the second step.
Then, to drink. This "God-Man," Jesus Christ, is offering me a drink. Shall I take it? I must choose to reach out and take the cup of living water that He is offering to me. If I choose to accept this cup, accepting HIS way, then I will have rivers of living water flowing from my innermost being. RIVERS. Not just one river. It is plural. These rivers shall flow—from me! Amazing! Fulfilling, fresh, eternal, strong, lovely, magnetic, a source of strength to everyone—rivers of living water!
You know, of course, that running water is one of the most powerful forces on earth.
There's no way to dam up a flowing river. It will OVERFLOW! Consider that dam as suffering, disappointment, frustration, pain, death, emotional distress of any kind. That dam, no matter what it is, will not be able to stop this river of living water. Just imagine! He says this can be mine.
* * * * *
Look! Jesus is coming toward me! He's carrying a ladle with water in it. Is this cup for me?
Picture yourself: You're grasping the ladle with both hands ... your eyes are closed ... you're taking big gulps ... the water runs down your chin. What blessed, blessed relief!
[1] Remember that these thoughts are presented to you by Satan through the Power of Sin in your members. You, with your new mind, no longer generate such thoughts, you RECEIVE them. Reference: Lifetime Guarantee by Dr. Bill Gillham or The Confident Woman by Anabel Gillham. Both available in our online store.