I was reading in John 7 this morning where Jesus is talking to the people about living water.
” On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and shouted, “If you are thirsty, come to me and drink! 38 Have faith in me, and you will have life-giving water flowing from deep inside you, just as the Scriptures say.” 39 Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit, who would be given to everyone that had faith in him. The Spirit had not yet been given to anyone, since Jesus had not yet been given his full glory.” John 7:37-39 CEV
Those words “If you are thirsty, come and drink” brought back a vivid memory.
Dave and I were farming alfalfa in the Arizona desert south of Phoenix. The hay balers were used weren’t the ones that produced the big round bales. Instead, they were Freeman balers that produced the smaller, rectangle bales, each weighing about 110 pounds.
In Arizona, we bale at night once the dew comes in and has an opportunity to moisten the alfalfa a little before baling. Well, because it was night we hadn’t seen there had been a malfunction of the bale chute and so the bales dropped off the baler and landed on their sides.
In the morning, we had to go out and set the bales up right so they could be picked up by the road sider, a piece of equipment that made the bales in a tight stack. It was summer, the sun was hot and I was walking from field to field setting the bales while Dave had other work to do.
I didn’t realize until it was too late that he had driven off with the water. I was so hot and thirsty when he returned. I was parched.
Water. Life-giving water!
I’ve also had times when my soul and my spirit has been parched. So tired and stressed that all the tears had been cried. Feeling that there was no emotion left. Hopeless.
Have you been there?
This is what Jesus is referring too. Dry in body, soul and spirit. In need of life-giving water. That water, that refreshing comes from the Holy Spirit. He brings strength from heaven’s throne.
“But I tell you I am going to do what is best for you. This is why I am going away. The Holy Spirit cannot come to help you until I leave. But after I am gone, I will send the Spirit to you.” John 16:7 CEV
“Those who are hungry and thirsty to be right with God are happy, because they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6 NLV
“Your body will always be dead because of sin. But if Christ is in you, then the Spirit gives you life, because Christ made you right with God.” Romans 8:10 ERV
That dry, parched, thirsty feeling will be quenched when we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us with living water.