The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come!” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life. Rev. 22:17
Lord Jesus, we just read the last command in the entire Bible (Rev.22:17) and it couldn’t be more encouraging. It’s not “Hurry up and get your act together quick!”; or “Do more, try harder!”; or “You haven’t done enough!” Rather it’s “Come, thirsty ones! Come, desiring ones! Come and take the free gift of the water of life. Come to me—again and again.”
Hallelujah… invitation not indictment, welcome not worry, provision not pressure, refreshment not “regret-ment”—this is what you offer us, Jesus, and it’s the “Spirit” we pray will permeate Thanksgiving week 2025. Beginning with ourselves, may we take our thirst seriously—our multi-level needs you alone can meet. And may we respond afresh to your offer of “the water of life”—needed by believers and non-believers alike. We’ll stop needing “living water” the day we stop needing your mercy, grace, and love.
So, about this week, Jesus—we know what we’d love it to be like; and you know what you have in mind, heart, and providence. Whoever we’ll be with or wished we could’ve been with; no matter how close or far Thanksgiving will be to fulfilling our hope for a healthy “family,” kind connections, and tension-free relationships—may you be our primary feast, Jesus. Knowing you and being known by you, is the deepest longing we have—our reason for existing and the fulfillment of our most intense cravings. Never let us forget this and make it more real than ever, Jesus.
You have a heavenly habit of “keeping the party going” even when invitees don’t, won’t come (Lk.14:15-25). You don’t mope; you gather. You don’t send the Turkey back to Publix; you have the band play louder. There are grace-thirsty ragamuffins, lonely friends, the weak and forgotten ones all around us. Fill our hearts, time, and tables with whomever you wish, Jesus. So Very Amen.
