“Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’” — John 4:13-14
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The U.S. Open is played annually in New York, with Labor Day weekend right in the middle of the tournament, and the heat is often brutal. In 2015, it was 93 degrees with high humidity. Jack Sock was leading a second-round match two sets to one, but suddenly collapsed due to heat exhaustion and severe muscle cramps. Trainers covered him with bags of ice and carried him off the court. Regretfully, he had to withdraw from the tournament.
Any of us can suffer some symptoms when we don’t take in enough liquids in a timely manner. Our skin loses moisture, our mind doesn’t work as well, and we may have labored breathing. Our bodies need plenty of water to function properly, so experts urge us to stay hydrated. Water is a necessity for life, and without it we will struggle.
The same is true spiritually.
Sometimes God may allow us to get to a place where we must look up for provisions so He can teach us to trust Him and call on Him regularly for guidance and strength. The Israelites experienced this in a physical sense after God delivered them from slavery in Egypt. They came to a barren wilderness and were complaining of their deep thirst, so He provided water supernaturally through a rock (Exodus 17).
Not only did God come to their aid physically by the provision of water, but He revealed to them His character as Jehovah Jireh — their Provider of all things, physically and spiritually. They were shown, yet again, that they could trust God’s faithfulness to take care of them.
Sometimes the greatest provision God gives is not what we think we need, but Himself. In the New Testament, we see a woman who came to the community well to get provisions for herself and her household. But she instead learned of the spiritual need of Living Water, not just the physical need.
Jesus met her there and explained the critical need of spiritual water for our souls — for daily life and for eternity. She was initially focused on her being a Samaritan and Jesus being Jewish, so was skeptical because Jews didn’t associate with Samaritans. But Jesus turned her attention toward what all humans need: the spiritual life-giving water of Christ to refresh our thirsty souls (John 4:13-14, above). And it changed not only her life, but the lives of those who heard her testimony.
This same invitation given to the woman at the well also applies to us if we humbly and sincerely receive Christ’s words spoken long ago. The Lord reaches down in mercy and gives us all eternal life if we believe in Him as Lord and Savior of our lives.
— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia
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