The 21 Day Experiment - Day 7: To All Who are Needy

by Marilynn Chadwick

Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! John 7:37 (NLT)

Even before I believed in Jesus, I observed a great divide between those who followed him and those who did not. As I’ve shared earlier, I was firmly in the “those who did not believe” camp. Christians seemed so well…needy. Deep down, I knew I’d have to admit I was weak and broken before I could accept Jesus as my Savior. And I repeat—I did not want to see myself as needy. Maybe you can relate.

We’re on day seven of our 21 Day Experiment. In John 7, Jesus is speaking at a Jewish Festival. All of a sudden, he singles out the thirsty ones:

Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.) (John 7:37-39).

Jesus spoke of “living water” only twice in John’s Gospel. The first time was in John 4. He was sitting by a well when a Samaritan woman came to draw water. Jesus asked her for a drink. She was shocked because he was a Jew—everyone knew Jews hated Samaritans. Jesus said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water” (John 4:10 NIV).

“Thirsty” is just another word for needy. Jesus promises, not a cup, but a river to fill us to overflowing. Living water reminds me of rushing rapids. White water—rough, wild, extravagant. Beyond my need, expectations, or imagination. That’s how Jesus describes the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is a person. Not an “it.” The Bible says he dwells in us once we invite Jesus to be our Savior. That means we get to talk to God by way of the Holy Spirit. We train our heart to recognize his voice.

To receive the living water, I must first admit I am thirsty. Needy. I must slow myself down so I can reflect on this wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit. I must eliminate pride if I truly want to hear his voice. The Bible encourages us to commune with the Holy Spirit. Listen to his nudges—they’re always consistent with Scripture. They’re personal—just for you. The Holy Spirit knows your needs. He speaks your language.

Prayer: Lord, I’m thankful for your gift of the Holy Spirit to all who are needy. You gave us this gift so we could have a relationship—an intimate friendship with you—for all eternity. May “the amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you” (2 Corinthians 13:14 MSG).

This Moment of Hope is adapted from the book Sometimes He Whispers Sometimes He Roars by Marilynn Chadwick. To request a copy of this book please visit momentsofhopechurch.org/books. 

The 21 Day Experiment - Day 6: Our Work is to Believe

by Marilynn Chadwick

The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent. (John 6:29 NIV)

I grew up in an era when the threat of nuclear war loomed large. So my childhood television viewing was often interrupted by an annoying, high-pitched, 60-second blast and this announcement: “This is a test...of the emergency broadcast system...this is only a test.”

The Bible talks a lot about tests. A test shows our strengths and weaknesses. Any good coach or teacher tests their students. In today’s reading of John 6, Jesus gives a “pop-quiz” to his disciple Philip:

Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do (John 6:5-6 NLT).

Philip replied that even if they worked for months, it would be impossible to feed all those people. True enough if one is looking at the problem from an earthly point of view. But Jesus wanted Philip to peek behind the veil. To look at things from heaven's vantage point. To trust him to bring heaven's resources to bear upon earth's need.

Jesus took the small offering of a young boy's lunch of five loaves and two fish. Looking to heaven—the source of his miracle—he gave thanks. Then he handed out food—as much as people wanted. He provided such an abundance there were baskets left over. Jesus's miracle feeding of the five thousand was a wow!

The same crowd who had seen the miracle later asked Jesus, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?” I'm intrigued by Jesus’s answer, so I've chosen this verse as my watchword for today:

Jesus told them, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent” (John 6:29 NIV).

The “work?” To believe. Maybe you’re facing a situation that looks impossible—especially when you consider your resources. Not enough money. Not enough time. Not enough strength, talent, training, or connections. Not enough _____________. Fill in the blank.

What would happen if you looked at your problem from heaven's vantage point? What if you believed Jesus wants to bring heaven's resources to meet your earthly needs? What would happen to your anxiety and fear if you rest assured that Jesus has “got this?” What if you believe in the one God has sent?

Trust Jesus. Give him your five loaves and two fish and see what he can do. Then, take a small step of faith in the direction you know he’s leading you. You can’t do everything…but you can do something.

Prayer: Lord, you know I’m overwhelmed with impossibilities. My plate is too full. Needs are too great. But with you, all things are possible. My work today is simply “to believe” that you will use all of heaven’s resources to solve my earthly problems.

The 21 Day Experiment - Day 5: A Step of Faith

by Marilynn Chadwick

Get up! Pick up your mat and walk. (John 5:8 NIV)

Make a wish. Wish upon a star. I grant you three wishes. All are lines from my favorite fairy tales. A wish is exciting. Magical. But there’s something about a wish that seems out of reach. Webster defines a wish as a “a strong desire to have or do something—usually unattainable.”

It’s day five of our 21 Day Experiment. Today, we read about a crippled man with a wish that looked unattainable. He had been an invalid for thirty-eight long years. Life had passed him by.

Jesus noticed the man lying by the pool called Bethesda (which means “site of mercy"). The disabled would often gather around this pool. Rumor had it that people sometimes got healed when they bathed in the water.

“Do you want to get well?” Jesus asked the man (John 5:6 NIV). Seems like an insensitive question to ask a crippled guy at a healing pool who had been desperately trying to get well for thirty-eight years. Or had he?

Let’s take a closer look. The word Jesus used here for “want” is thelo, which means “to will, wish, or desire.” It not only describes a wish but also a pressing on to action. In short, thelo executes.

“Do you want to get well?” Notice the man never really answered Jesus’s question. Instead, he gave a couple of excuses. He had no one to help him get into the water. Every time he tried to get near the pool someone else got there first.

Jesus's response? A startling command: “Get up! Pick up your mat, and walk” (John 5:8 NIV). Look at what happened next. “At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked” (John 5:9 NIV).

Could the crippled man sense that Jesus had already healed him when he took that staggering first step? What was there about Jesus that ignited the faith to stand up after thirty-eight years as an invalid? That guy went from passive to active, hopeless to faith-filled in an instant!

The watchword I’ve chosen today is the same word Jesus spoke to the man: “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk” (John 5:8 NIV).

Sometimes the best response—after we’ve prayed and prayed and prayed about a problem—is to “stand up, pick up our mat, and walk.” Even if we’ve asked before. Even if the answer has been slow in coming. Even if we’ve been disappointed or delayed or distracted.

What is the Lord saying to you through his Word? What is your big ask? Dare to take Jesus at his Word. Today could be your breakthrough!

Prayer: Lord, fill me with faith to believe you can heal that broken place that has caused me to lose hope. I take you at your Word. Give me courage to stand up and step out in faith!