The Living Water

 

 In chapter seven, the Feast of Tabernacles that John refers to was highlighted by pouring water out of a golden pitcher. The priest, followed by a crowd of people, went to the Pool of Siloam and filled the pitcher. Then he went to the temple altar to pour out the water. This would be done for six days, but on the seventh, he would circle the altar seven times. On the final day, just when the priest poured the water out, Jesus called out to the people: “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink” (John 7:37)

I spent quite a few years hauling hay in the San Joaquin Valley of California. On one occasion, my father, brother, and I went to do a job on a farm in the mountains. We loaded bales of oats on the truck in the flat meadows and unloaded them in a barn. It was hard work. The owner’s wife fixed us a great supper. One thing I remember was her giving small glasses of tea. We could have each have taken a pitcher; we were so thirsty. We couldn’t get enough to drink!

Jesus uses a powerful image here of satisfying our thirst. Today, one of the world’s tragedies is people seeking to quench that thirst for God with things like new clothes, a new car, and a new relationship, but it never works. Then Jesus followed that incredible statement with this: Whoever believes in me, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”  (John 7:39). Jesus not only satisfies our thirst but makes that living water flow right through us to others around us.

C. S. Lewis, in his children’s book, The Silver Chair, paints a word picture of this thirst and the satisfying water. Jill, seeing a lion, is scared, so she runs into the forest. She runs so hard that she feels she is just about to die of thirst when she hears the sound of a babbling brook nearby. She approaches it and is ready to go to the stream when on the grass before her is the same, Lion.

 “Are you not thirsty?” said the Lion.

“I’m dying of thirst,” said Jill.

“Then drink,” said the Lion.

“May I - could I - would you mind going away while I do?” said Jill.

The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience. The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.

“Will you promise not to - do anything to me, if I do come?” said Jill.

“I make no promise, “said the Lion.

Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.

“Do you eat girls?” she said. “I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings

and emperors, cities and realms,” said the Lion. It didn’t say this, as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it. “I daren’t come and drink,” said Jill. “Then you will die of thirst,” said the Lion. “Oh dear!” said Jill, coming another step nearer.

“I suppose I must go and look for another stream then.” “There is no other stream,” said the Lion.

The Bread of Life

It is very frustrating to be lost, but it is even more frustrating to be lost and not know it. Have you ever been on a trip and been on the wrong road and not realized it until you have driven a long way in the wrong direction?

The people in John chapter six were like many today—they were in constant pursuit of things. They were lost and didn’t know it. Jesus wanted to free them, just as he wants to free us from this obsession for things. That’s why he gave the Bread of Life talk - to rescue us from the emptiness of life.

Christ taught the people that they were empty if they did not have him. He told them that he could rescue them from the emptiness of life. Once his followers understood their utter emptiness, they would want him. They asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” (John 6:28). Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:29).

They asked what kind of works they had to do to get the Bread. Jesus responded by saying there is no physical work you can do. You just need to believe in me.

This may be one of the biggest hindrances to understanding the Gospel. We grow up feeling like we have to earn respect and success, so why not salvation. Jesus says all you have to do is just believe, and that’s it. So in a sense, we have to unlearn this lie before receiving eternal life.

Suppose we invite some guests to our house for a Sunday lunch. It is a great meal. We go all out for them—preparing a favorite meal. I put steaks on the grill, and Marilyn makes all the sides, green salad, baked potatoes, and some pies. We all enjoy the meal and have a wonderful time visiting.

Then our guests announce that it is time for them to go home. But, before they do, they take out their wallets and ask, “How much do we owe you for this?” I respond emphatically, “You don’t owe us anything!” They insist, “We most certainly do! We always pay our way! How much do we owe you?” They even throw some money on the table.

Just a mention of payment in such a setting would be a serious insult. Yet, the insult of doing something to earn the gift of eternal life is a greater insult. Jesus is the Bread of life, and all we have to do to receive this Bread is believe.

Jesus declared, “I am the Bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35).

 

 

 

Is Anything Too Hard for God?

 

Have you noticed in your own life that God will often answer our own questions with questions He alone can ask? He did that to Abraham and Sarah when they struggled with how they would have a baby when Abraham was nearly 100, and she was 90. So God asked them: “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Gen 18:14). It is a rhetorical question—meaning a question that has an obvious answer.

Jeremiah was also a man of strong principles and uncompromising faith in God. At a very unusual time, God asked Jeremiah to buy a piece of property that was worthless? It was in enemy hands. The Babylonians were at the gates and would soon take the city of Jerusalem. Jeremiah had accurately predicted their arrival and conquest. The prophet was in prison for preaching a message the king did not like. And, it was there in prison that Jeremiah purchased the property from his cousin for seventeen shekels (Jer 32:9-10).

When Jeremiah struggled to understand God’s plan, God responded to him the same way he had with Abraham and Sarah, “I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? (Jer 32:27). God was simply reminding Jeremiah who he was, that he was the Lord God Almighty. This was not a moment of insanity on the part of Jeremiah but rather an audacious faith.

This whole idea of buying this property that seemed to be utterly worthless was God’s idea. Jeremiah was obedient and even prayed about it before doing it, but he wondered why God would ask him to make such a risky investment? Jeremiah wondered what was God up doing? Are you really sure, Lord, this is what you want? However, amid this chaos, God asked Jeremiah to buy the property. Everyone knows this is not the time to make a real estate deal, but Jeremiah had learned to obey God whether he understood or not.

God did indeed have a plan—he always has a plan, and we will be part of it when we can trust him. But what was important for Jeremiah and Abraham and Sarah was to be obedient. They had learned to obey even when they didn’t understand the plan. God planned to save his people, which is the same for us today. Jeremiah writes the plan:

Jer 32:38-41 They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.

God promises to be your God and you to be his people. It is the invitation to enjoy a wonderful romance with God. Nothing can compare to it. You long for something in life, but you do not know what it is. You seek for it relationships, but you do find it. You try to discover it in recreation or adventure, but it always eludes you. It is this you seek—God’s friendship. You were made to belong to God. He has promised to be your God, and he wants you to be his people.