Wednesday, March 22, 2006

There Is No Need To Be Dying Of Thirst

"Today's Devotion" For March 22, 2006

Read: Isaiah 55:1-6; John 7:37-43

THERE IS NO NEED TO BE DYING OF THIRST

"O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Psalm 63:1)

In various place on the earth, it can be reasonably said that the land is parched and dry. In the many deserts of the world, rainfall and other sources of water are few and far between. Vegetation in any great numbers is rare and, while scientists tell us that there is abundant animal lif, it's very unique and well-adapted to the harsh, dry, desert conditions. A number of different peoples have even found a way to live in such areas, such as the nomads in parts of Africa's Saharan region and in the Middle East, but it's a harsh and unforgiving existence. One mistake can bring a long, excruciating death from dehydration. Many of the pictures that form my vision of such places come from that great old movie, "Lawrence of Arabia." Having traveled through the desert region of the Southwestern United States a number of times, I can picture the difficulty of living in such a setting.

At the same time, as we see in the American Southwest, great portions of the desert have been and are being "reclaimed" by pumping water in from long distances and digging deeply into the earth to find springs of water. When traveling through the desert, one observes large areas of green, where flowing waters in manmade canals, has brought a lush green to a stark, deadly, and otherwise empty land. Trees, orchards, and fields filled with crops of many varieties are bringing life to an otherwise deadly landscape, and providing food and a livelihood to many. Towns and cities have sprung up in such places, supporting life as the desert could never have done on its own. Some scientists have even noted that as the desert is "reclaimed," and there are more plants to give off moisture into the air, rainfall has increased in some areas.

We live in a "thirsty" world. Not only are there areas of desert in the land, but there also exists a spiritual desert that touches every human being no matter where they live. The human heart and mind are, by nature, parched and arid places when it comes to knowing God. Sin dries up the human soul, shrivels the human spirit, and makes the hearts and minds of people - including you and me - devoid of life with God. Unless the "water of life," supplied by God, enters into our souls and refreshes our spirits, we die as people and we are dead to God. The effect that has on our relationships with others and the world in which we live is devastating. One only has to look at the many instances of man's inhumanity to man and humanity’s poor husbandry of the environment, the earth's resources, and the inhumane ways we often treat other living creatures God has given us to care for, to provide clothing for us, and for food to see the terrifying results of that "spiritual desert."

David writes, "O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You..." (Ps. 63:1a). But God is not willing that anyone should die of "spiritual thirst." He doesn't want anyone to be lost in the “spiritual desert" that Sin has visited upon the human heart. His words through Isaiah to the Children of Israel are pure Gospel - filled with the sure hope and comfort, strength and joy. They are words of "Good News" that God loves His people and provides for their spiritual as well as their physical sustenance. The final source of that "spiritual water of life" God provides us is found only in Jesus Christ. As Jesus said to the people, and to us, in John 7, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him" (vv. 37, 38). By God's grace and mercy we have the "living water" of His Word and the power of His Spirit to quench our parched spirits and renew our lives each and every day. By faith in Jesus we find our spirits' thirst quenched and our lives renewed each day. Having our spiritual thirst quenched by Jesus, He promises that Holy Spirit will burst forth from us as "streams of living water" as we live for God and touch the lives of others with the Good News of Jesus.

Prayer: Father, the old hymn, "I'm But a Stranger Here," aptly describes the world of sin and unbelief in which I live. I'm reminded by its words, "I'm but a stranger here, heaven is my home. Earth is a desert drear, heaven is my home, " that my deepest needs cannot be met by the world, only by You. Without Your love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness in Christ, my heart and soul would be a hot, dry, arid desert filled with nothing but hatred and rage against You because of Sin. Yet, in Christ Jesus, You have taken away my sins and have given me refreshment and new life. Your gift to me of faith in Jesus quenches my spiritual thirst daily. And in that gift of faith You also have given me Your Spirit who flows from me to others. Father, there is no need for anyone to be "dying from thirst." Use me as a vessel of the "living water" of Your Spirit to bring thirsting souls and spirits to Jesus so they might drink from Him and live. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
***********************

--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2006 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.

No comments: