Thirst. Thirsty. Thirsting.

 I've been thinking a lot lately of the story of the Samaritan woman meeting Jesus at the well. Not the part of her being a Samaritan and Him a Jew. That is a different story for a different time. I was thinking about how she was there to retrieve water. She would fill her bucket and take it back to her household. Eventually it would run out and she would be back to fill it again. Endless cycle of filling and emptying. Jesus was offering her a different kind of water. Water, that if she or anyone else were to accept it, they would never thirst again. Spiritual water that only Jesus could provide.

John 4:13-14 Amplified Bible

13 Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again. 14 But whoever drinks the water that I give him will never be thirsty again. But the water that I give him will become in him a spring of water [satisfying his thirst for God] welling up [continually flowing, bubbling within him] to eternal life.”

I started to think back to when I got divorced. When I divorced, it left a huge void in my life. I started  thirsting after things of the world. I thought that dating would fill the void. I was wrong! I went from relationship to relationship. Looking for a woman to fill the void. Each one ended after a few months, and then I was on to the next one. Girl after girl came into my life. I was trying desperately to fill that void. None of them satisfied me. Just like the water that the Samaritan women was gathering, I was continuously thirsty. This went on for almost four years.

Then I met a woman (my wife now) who not only talked the Christian life, she also walked it. We started dating and after about a month or so I went to church with her. That same day I accepted Jesus into my life. Instantly the void in my life was filled. It was a relationship with Jesus I was thirsting for. Once accepting Him and His life giving water, I was no longer thirsty for any other kind of meaningless relationship. His was/is the most important!

How many of us do the same thing? We thirst for what the world offers. Sex, drugs, alcohol, money, power, prestige. When we get all of those things, it still doesn't quench our thirst. When one thing doesn't work, we try something else. Then when that doesn't work, we try something else. On and on the endless cycle of trying to satisfy ourselves. Only to be left parched! 

Jesus changes all of that. 

John 7:37 New Living Translation

37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! 

So I encourage you tonight. Stop chasing the things of the world that will only leave you thirsting for more. Accept Jesus and you will never thirst again!

God bless.

Rev. Kev.