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. . .” John 7: 37, NKJV.
Dear God and Lord of our lives, as we continue on this journey into the year 2014, we ask that You give us to drink, that we might not find ourselves drinking from broken cisterns. In the name of our blessed Savior Jesus Christ we pray.
I do not believe that there is anyone who can honestly say that they have never felt thirsty. It is a very human sensation. Some of us may have experienced it more than others, but I am sure that you will agree with me that after you have been thirsty for a while, there is nothing that can compare to a cool glass of fresh water!
Thirst is such a compelling sensation that under adverse and severe circumstances, animals, and even human beings, in the absence of clean water, have found themselves drinking contaminated water or even other liquids that were never intended for consumption. All they wanted was something to take away their longing, without taking into consideration whether that thing was good for them or not.
On that last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, shortly before His death, Christ showed up “secretly” to the feast (10). His brothers had gone on before believing that the Savior would not be attending; at least not yet. There was a lot of commenting about Jesus in His absence. Some were for Him, some were against Him (11-13, 31, 40-43).
Scripture tells us that “about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught” (14). There is something about Jesus’ showing up. Things are never the same after He does. That is because Jesus’ coming is always with a purpose. Galatians 4: 4 reads: “When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son . . .” Jesus came to our world right on time and has never been late in meeting our needs! My mentor used to tell me whenever I became anxious over anything: “Jesus may not show up when you want Him to, but He is always on time.” I am still trying to internalize that truth.
When He showed up and called Matthew the tax collector, Matthew became a respectable citizen. When He walked into the lives of the “sons of Thunder” (James and John the sons of Zebedee) they became the sons of God. The woman at the well went from carrying a water jar, to carrying souls to “see a Man who told me all things that I ever did” (John 4: 39). Jesus shows up on purpose.
On that last day of the feast the Savior knew that there were souls in attendance who needed to see in Him their hope of a better life. Year after year they went up to these feasts that were intended to point the people to the Lamb of God; the Only Way to the Father; the Truth and the Life; and they left as empty as they came. Knowing that He had but a short time to reach as many of those souls as possible, Jesus showed up to offer them a drink of Living Water.
Are you thirsty today? What is causing your thirst? Are you longing for love? Acceptance? Validation? Do not go seeking a well, or even trying to dig your own well. Be careful of broken cisterns which from a distance seem to be whole. All of these will only leave you thirsting even more.
Jesus showed up today to invite you to come to Him and drink until you are satisfied. If you accept His invitation you will never be thirsty again. He will satisfy your every longing!