"Thirsty"

"Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst." - John 4:13-14a (NIV)

I remember a scene from my childhood where my Dad and I would go into a hayfield a pick up hay bales for the horses our family owned.  Between the heat and the hay, it would not take long for our bodies to crave something that would satisfy our thirsts.  Thankfully, on the way back home, we would find a convenience store that proved to be an oasis.  I still recall turning up those glass bottles of Montain Dew, enjoying the last cool drop of refeshing soda. 

While those trips to the convenience store provided much needed rest and refreshment, it would not be long before that physical thirst would awaken once more.  Whether it was another trip to the hay field or the barn, a neighborhood or church basketball game, or some other activity, those physical pangs of thirst would eventually come back.  Water, Mountain Dew, or juice could never provide any kind of lasting satisfaction.  Truth be told, our physical bodies require daily replenishing of fluids, no matter the level of activity.

Our spiritual bodies work that way as well.  We are in dire need of daily spiritual nutrients, no matter how intense the spiritual warfare may be for any given day.  Physical water means physical life.  spiritual water means spiritual life.  The word "thirsty," or "dip-sah'-o", in Greek, occurs six times in the book of John.  Once, in John 19:28, the crucifixion scene, it denotes a physical thirst.  Jesus' six mock trials, endless beatings, a flogging, and crucifixion have produced this natural need.  But in the other five instances where this word is used , it is refering to the spirtual longings in our heart.  The second meaning of this word is "figuratively, those who are said to thirst who painfully feel their want of, and eagerly long for, those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, strengthened."  (Kittell). 

This was the deep need of the Samaritan woman Jesus encountered one day.  A social outcast, as she happened to be a woman and a frowned upon Samaritan, she also carried years of emotional baggage.  Five former husbands and a possible number six spoke much into her past and present.  Broken, dry, beat down, and weak.  She, although unaware, is a perfect candidate for grace.  We should be careful not to judge.  Each of us have pursued that one thing that we thought would bring lasting fulfillment.  For some it may be relationaships; for some it may be habits, for some it may be religion.  Jeremiah, the Old Testament prophet, speaks to us: ""My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water."  (2:13, NIV)  We, like the Samaritan woman, are perfect candidates for grace, whether we realize it or not.

Jesus reminds us that only he can provide what is everlasting.  Apart from him, we are pursuing dry and cracked cisterns.  No physical water means death.  No spiritual water means spiritual death.  The Samartian woman found the One who truly satisfies.  In Christ, we have everything we ever need.  The stagnant waters of the cistern are replaced by fresh "living" water.  Christ gives us a taste, now, of what is to come.  In the closing chapter of the Bible, John records these words: "The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life." (Revelation 22:17, NIV)

Broken cistern or Living Water?  Where does his grace need to intersect your life, today?   Drink deep.   If this were a commercial, the voice over would say, "NOT SOLD IN STORES!"

"Achor"

Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, And the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down, For My people who have sought Me. - Isaiah 65:10 (NKJV).

In the Old Testamant book of Isaiah, the sixty-fifth chapter speaks on the themes of judgement, for those who reject God (v. 5), and restoration, for those who seek after God (v. 9).  Two groups, two choices, and two outcomes.  We are reminded that God is rich in mercy and has things under control... for those who seek after him.  No matter what we have faced, we find that the grace of God trumps it all.

One of the pictures of redemption and restoration painted by Isaiah tells of herds lying down in a valley called Achor.  In Hebrew, the word means "trouble".  The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia goes on to say, "serious or extreme trouble."  Do you have a happy place that you, at times, mentally travel to?  Chances are, that place is not like Achor.  The beach?  The mountains?  A golf course?  All of those are sure nice to think on.  But Achor?  No way.  I am sure the Israelites would just as soon forget such a place of trouble.

Joshua 7 tells the story of Achan who, along with a few others, took plunder from Jericho.  The issue?  They were told by God not to.  After losing favor with God, the Israelites are routed when they attempt to take the next city, Ai.  Furthermore, when Achan's sin is found out, he and his family are put to death.  The Bible says the place was called Achor from that time on.  So, no.  Achor is not a happy place.

Perhaps you have been, or maybe still are, in your own Vallley of Achor.  Perhaps it by your own choices, or maybe you were swept up by the decisions of others.  Be thankful that God is a Redeeming God!  Your place of trouble in the hands of the Master, becomes a place of tranquility and peace.  Our world shows the scars of man's sinfulness.  Choices are made, life happens, and we are left to make sense of it all.  We set up tent in Achor, always reminded of something awful from our past or present.

The good news of the Gospel is a message of restoration.  In Christ, the hopeless have hope.  In Christ, the weak are made strong.  In Christ, what was once a place of scorn and contempt, becomes a place of abundance and peace.  Relationships are healed, sinners are forgiven, the wayward find their way home, broken hearts are mended, and hope rises out of despair.  Whatever your "Achor" is, allow God to transform it by His grace.  We may show scars, but they become testimonies to His grace.  We are a people of hope!

"Equip"

 ¹¹ Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. ¹² Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.   (Ephesians 4:11-12 NLT)




A couple of weeks ago, I proceeded to mount a kitchen radio to the underside of a cabinet.  After putting off this task for awhile, the time had come to finally get it behind me.  Unfortunately, the task proved to be more difficult, because I coud not find a screwdriver that fit into the cabinet.  So the task of tightening the screws was long and painful because I lacked the proper tools for the job.




It is easy to be frustrated in those types of situations.  Unfortuantely, we allow life in the Church to be equally frustrating.  Too often, the Church heads off into battle trusting our own strength, while being grossly unprepared. As frustration at our futility sets in, so does disappointment.  The Church, as seen through the lens of Ephesians 4:11-12, encourages us.  Christ has given to the Church everything needed to carry out his work. He has given us the right tools. 




I feel struck by the word "equip" in this passage of Scripture.  "Equip"  (katartismos) is a blend of "kata", which means "throughout", and "artios" which means "fitted."  The imagery is clear.  The responsiblity of the Church is to "thoroughly fit, or equip" the Body for what God has called us to do.  How does He do this?  By using others as well as myself.  When I realize that God is using me to "thoroughly equip" my brother and my sister, my wants and desires have a way of becoming insignificant. How I view my brother and sister radically changes. 




What would happen if all of those cool images you and I have of the Church would be seen through the filter of "thoroughly equipping" the Body?  Want to have a potluck?  How can this be used to thoroughly equip?  Want to have a  cool children's ministry?  How can that be used to thoroughly equip?  Love that worship music?  Am I allowing it to thoroughly equip?  How can my small group and friends be used to thoroughly equip one another?




God has given the Body, everything needed to be His ambassadors.  Apart from Him, I am not even in the right toolbox.

"Light"

"Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.'"   John 8:12 (NRSV)

On several occasions, my family and I have taken day trips to some of the popular caverns in Virginia.  It certainly is a joy to see the wonders of God's wonderful creation from a different  perspective.  The formations and glassy pools are a marvel to look at.  One of the highlights of the cavern tour, is when the guide will, with warning, turn out all of the lights, leaving the cavern visitors in complete darkness.  Unable to see anything, it is in the best interest of everyone to stay still.  I still remember clutching my children tightly so they would not trip or fall in the darkness.

Darkness can certainly play havoc on the senses.  At the least, one may become disoriented, lose sense of direction, and become lost.  At the most, the darkness can render one completely blind, resulting in injury or death.  This is true not only in the physical realm, but the spiritual realm as well.


In this passage, Jesus proclaims himself to be the "phos" (light) of the world.  "Phos" means to shine or make manifest.    Jesus has come to shine, expose, and illuminate.  It stands to reason that there must be some grand reason why Jesus makes this declaration.  Could it be it is because he is the light that illuminates my understanding of who I am and Whose I am?  Certainly I am capable of figuring things out on my own, right? 


Time and time again, Jesus shows himself to be for us what we cannot be in and of ourselves. It is important to note that Jesus does not merely give us light.  He is the light.  He does not shine a beam.  He is the beam.   As with most lighting, my way becomes clearer and safer when that light is applied to my path.    He is the "light of life".    In him I find "light" for traversing this rough terrain of life.  In his absence, I am left with darkness.  Without him, I may as well be trying to navigate this journey of life much like a cavern visitor would try to find his or her way out of the depths of the earth in pitch black.


Feeling in the dark?  Let him be your light!