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taken from the Message
JOHN 7:37,38 on the final and climactic day of the
feast, Jesus took his stand. he cried out,
“If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. Rivers
of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of
anyone who believes in Me this way, just as the
Scripture says.”
The Jews had a ceremony of carrying water from the Pool
of Siloam and pouring it into a silver basin by the
altar of burnt offering for each of the first seven days
of the Feast of Tabernacles. On the eighth day, this was
not done, which made Christ’s offer of the water of
eternal life even more startling. The Jewish people had
gone through this religious observance, and yet their
hearts were not satisfied because they had not truly
understood the deep meaning of the feast. Just before
they departed for their homes, on the last day, that
great day of the feast Jesus stood and cried out to
them. He invited them to come to Him for spiritual
satisfaction. Pay particular attention to the words. His
invitation was extended to anyone. His gospel was a
universal gospel. There was no one who could not be
saved if he would simply come to Christ.
But notice the condition. The Scripture says, “If anyone
thirsts.” “Thirst” here speaks of spiritual need. Unless
a person knows he is a sinner, he will never want to be
saved. Unless he realizes he is lost, he will never
desire to be found. Unless one is conscious of a great
spiritual lack in his life, he will never want to go to
the Lord to have that need supplied. The Savior invited
the thirsting soul to come to Him—not to the church, the
preacher, the waters of baptism, or the Lord’s Table.
Jesus said, “Let him come to Me.” No one or nothing else
will do. “Let him come to Me and drink.” To “drink” here
means to appropriate Christ for oneself. It means to
trust Him as Lord and Savior. It means to take Him into
our lives as we would take a glass of water into our
bodies.
Are you thirsty? Have you perhaps been drinking at
the mud-holes of the world and have you been finding
that they are not satisfying? They cannot satisfy. Only
what Christ offers is 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED!
I use to abuse alcohol and drugs. I had a lot of other
bad habits as well. It seemed as though I would do
whatever I could, to fill the God shaped void that I had
in me. I was running away from God because I wanted to
do things my way. People would even warn me that I was
going to do something to kill myself. I almost
succeeded, I was just plain wreckless! I got to where I
didn't know what I was going to do next, doing things I
couldn't explain and getting worse as I went (ref.
Matthew 12:43-45). I was a SLAVE to sin...until I
submitted my life over to the Savior of the world, JESUS
CHRIST. There is no sweeter name that I know! He saved
me from self destruction and has freed me from the
bondage of sin for over 8 years now. I thank him for
that everyday!
You see, it all started with the fact that I found
myself at a point where I just couldn't go on. I was
empty and weary. I really needed the Lord but I didn't
know how to just give myself to him. So it started with
prayer “Lord I need you... no matter what happens, I
give you my whole life... I have tried to change and I
can't do it on my own!”
I had to just live a day at a time, no matter what was
ahead of me (you can't live past the day you’re on
anyhow). The future is made possible because of the hope
He gives, the promise of what he has already done on the
cross and victory over death and the grave!
The story goes for me that I have been blessed beyond
all I ever imagined...only because I submitted my life
to Jesus and put Him first. Today, I am a HEAVY DRINKER
of a different kind! My cup gets filled up to running
over on the Holy Spirit!!! Thank You Lord Jesus! Won't
you come to him today?
While I live I will praise the LORD; I will sing praises
to my GOD while I have my being. Psalm 146:2
BRENNING |
