On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood, and cried out saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water”… Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” … Then the officers came to the chief priests, and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?” The officers answered, no man ever spoke like this Man!” John 7: 37, 38, 40, 41, 45, 46, NKJV.
Holy Father, our souls are thirsty! Please give us to drink as we study Your Holy Word; we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Last evening I listened to one of the greatest speeches I have ever heard. It was the acceptance speech given by senator Barack Obama, the official nominee for president, of the Democrats. For a moment I thought to myself, no man has ever spoken like this man, until I realized that I was ascribing to a mere mortal, something that had been said about Jesus, the God-Man! Certainly, in every sense of the word, Barack’s speech was excellent; and I am certain that it will most likely go down in history as one of the greatest speeches of all time, because of its timeliness, and content. Barack’s words produced hope for thousands of Americans. Nevertheless, only Jesus, has words that can produce life!
Our Scripture narrates the celebration of the Feast that was a memorial of the water that flowed from the rock in the wilderness. During this festival, water was taken from the Pool of Siloam, in a golden pitcher, and carried to the Temple. Jesus did not go up with His disciples to Jerusalem. He arrived midway through the feast, unannounced. Soon He was teaching, and people were listening to Him in awe, and wondering at the knowledge He possessed; especially because of the fact that He had not been taught by the great teachers of the Law. Unknown to them, He was both the Subject to which all the lessons pointed, as well as the Teacher! But even though they had ears, they did not hear.
When the Pharisees heard that He had arrived at the feast, they sent officers to arrest Him; but when the officers arrived where He was teaching, they too, stood and listened, “but no one laid hands on Him” (44)! The words of eternal life that fell from His lips were like nothing they had ever heard before! Returning to the officers empty handed, they were questioned about their actions, to which they replied, “We have never heard anyone speak like this Man!”
What was so brilliant about Barack’s speech, was not only the extraordinary eloquence that he so majestically displayed; it was also the issues that he addressed. These were issues that were important to both liberals, and conservatives, alike, the right of choice; homeland security; just to mention the minimum. I believe, that senator Obama has every intention in the world to make good his promise to the American people. I am also aware, that, like every other human being; he is limited by circumstances over which he has no control!
But when Jesus invited the people who were present at the festival to come to Him to have their thirsts assuaged; He could keep that promise to the fullest, because He knows no limitations. Today, He is still saying to those of us who are thirsting for things to satisfy and fill the void that frustrations and disappointments have left in our lives: “He who believes in Me, … out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” And He is able to keep His promise!