06/17/2020
Do we thirst after the water of the world that satisfies our body alone, and that must be replenished each day, or do we long for the living water that is Jesus Christ, and wells up in us for eternity? Which do we cater to, and place most value in, our earthly body that begins a journey towards death from the moment it is conceived, or our soul that will live on in either salvation or damnation forever?
“Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again,”
John 4:13 ESV
My wife and I were driving to dinner the other night when suddenly our old car began to act erratically. As long as we were moving forward at speed it would continue to run, but if I slowed down, or stopped at an intersection it would die. Once this happened I had to restart the engine and keep giving it gas as I quickly put it in gear and raced to get going again before it stalled. By doing this I limped home where I parked the car. Our bodies are a lot like that old car, we are not made to last forever, and without the proper application of water we too will stall. Oh, we might limp along by refilling our tanks each time they are empty, or by coaxing ourselves to continue running on hot days with infusions of water as I did my old car with gasoline through the use of the accelerator pedal, but in the end we wear out, or somehow become damaged beyond repair. So, we refill our tanks, and repair our brokenness, but sooner or later we come to that inevitable point where we reach the end of life.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 ESV
But wouldn’t it be nice if we had a body, or a car, that ran forever, never broke down, and only needed one small tank of everlasting fuel? Well, that is exactly what Jesus offers us... not just living water that quenches our thirst with one sip, but an everlasting body as well; He offers us eternity.
“Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.”
1 Corinthians 15:51-53 ESV
So back to my original question “Do we thirst after the water of the world that satisfies our body alone?” How did we each answer that question? Did we resolve to live earthly lives with reckless abandon until we die, or joyously, and peacefully throughout all eternity? If we are still struggling with this question then we had better hurry to make our decision, because our lives have no guaranteed expiration date... death could come tomorrow, or with our next breath. We might pull up to an intersection where our car dies... never to start again.
“For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.”
Ecclesiastes 9:12 ESV
As for my old car? Well, it is just made of steel, aluminum, and other materials of this world, and although I was able to put three new parts in it, and return it to operation, it still needs fuel each day, and remains inevitably destined for the scrap heap. My current body is the same... I go to the doctor, and he keeps it running with a tweak here, and a part there, but eventually it too will run out of time. Thankfully I have sipped the living water, and determined that Jesus Christ is my Lord, and Savior, and that God is my Father; so now I await my last breath, my resurrected body, and eternity with God... what choice have you made? Will you have made it before death’s bell tolls, and the trumpet sounds?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the living water of eternity that springs forth from your Son Jesus. Thank you Holy Father for calling me, and leading me to that place where I finally decided to drink what He was offering me, and was able to savor my first sweet taste of eternity with you. Keep me in your presence, and hold me in your arms Lord, as I live out this earthly life, and wear out the usefulness of this earthen body. I pray for the souls of all those who are still teetering on the brink of death, still drinking the world’s water, and who haven’t chosen... or chosen incorrectly to partake of the living water of Christ. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my God who has made provision for my sin, and conquered my death through your Son Jesus. Great are you who not only pours out living water, but your love, and your grace through Jesus your Son, snd the risen Christ. Praised be your name Father for that one drink, and the promise it holds. Merciful are you who reached out, and handed mankind the cup of life, the blood of your own Son. Hear my prayers Father, and taste my tears, as I thank you, and cry tears of joy in your presence. Seat me at your table Father, that I can dwell in your house now, and forevermore.
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Psalm 23:6 ESV
Rich Forbes