Listen:
On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37-38)
Reflect:
Six forty-five in the morning. I lift heavy eyelids, and they catch and scrape open instead of their usual smoothly orchestrated glide. I look out my window to see soft orange light dance around a sea of large pines, the sun not yet fully risen. I’m only faintly aware of the beauty, and I swallow sandpaper to the beat of a dull thrumming in my temples. My stomach roils as I close my eyes again. I need water. Now.
Last night I went for a long run and then sat in the sauna. I hadn’t had enough water throughout the day and I could feel the sure rumblings of an imminent headache. I gulped as much water as I could stand before bed, but it was too late. I was already in a deficit that would take a day of intentional hydration to restore.
I find myself in a similar spiritual deficit more times than I’d like to admit. Neglecting to abide in the Holy Spirit and then wildly grasping for Him. God knew that we needed physical manifestations to teach us about our souls; that we needed to feel physical deficit in order to understand our spiritual ones. Our bodies will not be sustained without daily hydration. Our souls will wither without daily coming to drink the Holy Spirit living water. Thus our communities wither, for nothing flows out from a dry tributary.
“Let him come to me and drink.” He will not withhold from us, but His invitation does require us to come and drink.
Prayer of Response:
Holy Spirit, teach us the discipline of coming to you constantly. Thank you, God, that you are a good Father who will not withhold living water from your children. May we drink deeply of You and let you flow out of us to touch the world; Thy kingdom come. Thank you Jesus for stepping down into humanity and speaking to us in ways we can understand.
Questions to Ponder:
What invitations to you hear from God today?
Is your soul hungry, thirsty?
— Submitted by Traci Bartak
Traci and her outdoorsman husband are currently raising 3 wild boys in rural Washington state with lots of grit and even more grace. Traci writes on motherhood, following Jesus and her love of the outdoors on her blog: www.neeci.wordpress.com
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