On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice,
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. John 7:37
Lord Jesus, how fitting for you to stand up on the last day of Israel’s harvest celebration, crank up the volume and beckon us, thirsty ones, to come to you for relief and refreshment. For satisfaction can only be found in you.
Why are we thirsty? Because we were born that way—longing for the libation of living water you freely give. But some of us also carry weariness-generated thirst—tired from the burdens of life, the cost of love, and the pain of waiting.
Some of us carry sin-generated thirst. Fortunately, our broken cisterns have failed us, yet again. Some of us are thirsty because our hearts are dry from self-righteousness and smugness—being overly critical of others and woefully out of fellowship with you. Still others of us are thirsty just because you’re turning up the heat in our lives. Thank you for doing so.
38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
No matter the generation of our thirst, you promise copious amounts of beverage for the beloved, the doxological draught of grace, artesian springs of salvation, the healing waters of the Holy Spirit. We are fools, indeed, to ignore your invitation.
40 On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.”
For you are the Messiah, God incarnate—our righteousness-fulfilling substitute and our sin-bearing Savior; the Creator of all things and Redeemer of all broken things; the Lamb of God and the Lord of Life. Jesus, we come—thirsty, expectant, and grateful. So very Amen we pray, in your merciful and mighty name.
