John 7:37-38 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" English Standard Version (ESV)
We can all think of times when we've thirsted, whether it be working out in the yard on a hot day, going on a hike, running a race or sometimes while doing nothing we are just thirsty and a tall glass of cold water is all we have on our minds. Here in most of the U.S. water is something that many of us take for granted. You turn on the faucet and it is there, hot or cold, whatever you like. But in many parts of the world water, especially clean water is not so easily found, it is precious.
In today's passage the Feast of Tabernacles is going on, a national celebration. Part of that festival involved the pouring out of water for 7 days symbolizing and giving thanks for God's provision of water going back to Moses striking the rock to bring water to the provision of the seasonal rains for the crops for which they are celebrating the harvest.
When I was a child, there were baseball fields at our school where we played our little league games. Back then there was a fountain that was always running and it was cold. After a game it was there, if you walked passed it at recess it was there running, after school or if you happened to ride your bike past it on the weekend or during the hot summer it was there. God's offer for water, living water is always there for us and it does more than just quench our thirst. The water He gives involves all of our provision for life, for joy, for peace. But is not just something that is consumed by us, it flows through us and out of us as we share our lives with others.
The other point of consideration is the volume. It is not the small trickle of the drinking fountain, it is a river. Think of the rivers whose waters are diverted and supply water to what otherwise would be barren fields, transforming them into fertile ground which produce an abundant harvest.
Do you thirst physically, spiritually? Jesus calls day by day "come to me and drink".
John 7:37-39The Message (MSG)
37-39 On the final and climactic day of the Feast, Jesus took his stand. He cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says." (He said this in regard to the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were about to receive. The Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified.)
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