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.