Are You Thirsty?
I’ve been spending a lot of time in the Old Testament lately, and I can’t help but notice how often wells are referred to in the narrative. From my reading, it seems that in those days, wells were of great importance. Almost every aspect of daily life in ancient Israel involved water: farming, animal husbandry, cooking, hygiene, and of course, drinking.
Digging a well meant you were planning to stay for some time. Owning a well meant your family possessed the surrounding land. Wells were both landmarks and gathering places. A well was essential to life.
Our salvation in Christ is like a well. It is not only our eternal life to come, but also our abundant life now while we live on earth. Christ is the living water, refreshing and nourishing us, giving life to us from the inside out.
If we deprive our body of water, our body will let us know. Aching head. Dry mouth. Incoherent thoughts. Our bodies need water to not only function but to flourish. And we need to drink regularly. In the same way, our soul needs spiritual water. Deprive ourselves of spiritual water and our soul will tell us. Short temper. Waves of worry. Guilt. We need to regularly go to the well of our salvation, remembering our need for Jesus and drawing out the living water. He is our strength when we are weak, our wisdom when we are foolish, hope when we are despondent, and life when we are dying.
Max Lucado asks “Don’t you need regular sips from God’s reservoir? I do. Many times a day I step to the underground spring of God and receive anew his work for my sin and death, the energy of his Spirit, his lordship, and his love. Drink with me from his bottomless well. Drink deeply and often. And out of you will flow rivers of living water.” (Come Thirsty, No Heart Too Dry for His Touch)
“If you are thirsty, come! If you want life-giving water, come and take it. It’s free!” (Revelation 22.17)
Caroline
