QUENCHED

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

John 7:33-36

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Do you feel thirsty in life?

I’m not talking about a dry mouth or throat kind of thirst, the sort that makes you yearn for the wetness of water, cool or warm.

No, I’m talking about a life where you feel unsatisfied, thirsty for something you need to quench your parched existence.

I know I have been in this place before. Maybe you have too or maybe you’re there now.

Frankly, I believe everyone might find themselves in this place if they live life long enough. For when we are looking to quench our thirst with the things of the world, we may be able to gratify ourselves in the short term but we will always find ourselves becoming thirsty again. You see, the things of the world, the things that we seek from the desires of our heart, will never be able to fully quench our thirst. Like with our physical bodies, we will never go a day when we won’t feel the need to drink and our yearnings for material satisfaction will always be insatiable.

This truth has been in play since sin entered the world and separated God from His people. The devil has played on the longings of people for the ages, convincing them that they can find some form of fulfilled pleasure from the offerings of the world. But what people find is that one fulfilled pleasure only leads to a temptation for more and more and more. They never find themselves quenched.

Perhaps Jesus understood this better than anyone as He knew human nature and devoted much of His ministry life toward turning people from their own wills toward the will of the Father. Through the way He lived His life and His teaching, He hoped to show the people that they would only find their thirst fully quenched by focusing fully on their spiritual side vice the material. Look at His words to the Jews gathered for the Feast of the Tabernacles in Jerusalem:

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.  John 7:33-36

It was the last day of the festival where Jews traveled from all over Canaan to Jerusalem in obedience to God’s command. The next day, many would leave the city and return home but before they did, Jesus wanted to leave them with one important message, one He hoped would bring them to be perpetually quenched.

How could they gain a satisfaction that would never leave them in want?

All they had to do was come to Jesus and place their belief, trust, and hope in Him. For if they did, rivers of living water, the very flow of the Holy Spirit, would flow within them and they would be satisfied, not for the short term but forever. Soon, after Jesus would die, come back to life, and ascend in glory to sit at the right hand of His Father God, the Holy Spirit would be sent down to inhabit the lives of Christians from the day of Pentecost on. Indeed today, new Christ believers receive the rivers of living water and become quenched, just as Jesus promised.

I can only speak for myself but the day I accepted Jesus into my life, everything changed. The world didn’t mean as much anymore because I was living for so much more than it could offer. In fact, through Jesus and the salvation gained through Him, I received the greatest gift ever, the assurance that when this life is over, I will live with Jesus my Savior and the God who is my Maker and Master, forever. No matter what life brings my way, I have this hope and victory that cannot be taken away.

Question: What greater satisfaction could we have in life than knowing we will live forever, the eternal side of it without sin or pain or suffering or persecution or sorrow?

If you have this promise secured through Jesus, rejoice in knowing the final chapter of earthly life has a happy ending that has already been written, no matter what happens between then and now.

If you haven’t received Jesus, today can be the day when your thirst can be quenched for all eternity. Just believe in Him and receive the rivers of living water He is willing to give you through the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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