Thirsty?

“Everyone who thirsts….come to the waters and drink….”

Isaiah 55:1

            Have you ever been thirsty?   I mean really thirsty.   

Thirsty like you have just eaten a whole bowl of really salty popcorn; thirsty like a dried piece of parchment.   Thirsty like you’ve been in the desert for days.   Thirsty.

            When you’re that thirsty it’s hard to think about anything else.    It’s tough to imagine doing the dishes or walking the dog or taking care of more serious business.   You’re just thirsty.   You can think of nothing but finding some water, somehow, some way.   In fact, when we’re that way, our thirst defines us.

            I think that many of us are thirsty in our spirits.

            I think that the life we lead sucks us dry and leaves us empty inside.   I think we are spiritually parched.  And I think that we thirst for God just like someone who has been wandering in the desert for three days thirsts for water.    Our spiritual thirst actually defines us.     But unlike someone who thirsts for water, we are unusually good at ignoring our thirst for God.   We mask our spiritual emptiness with booze,  sex, food, overwork and more and we think that we are somehow vaguely “spiritual.”   But the truth is that we are not….very spiritual.   We are literally dying of spiritual thirst, and we are so deep in denial about it that we can not consciously grasp it.

            So, with Isaiah I say today, “Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters and drink…!!!”     Notice it says, “everyone.”   We all thirst.  We all have deep needs for the Holy in our lives, and we are all really good at denying and ignoring this need.   Well, as the man says, “denial ain’t a river in Egypt.”  

            Let me issue this loving call today.   Let’s come to the waters of God and drink deeply of God’s wonderful Spirit.  Let’s step into deeper intentionality in our spiritual lives.  Let’s take on the power of spiritual discipline.  That’s right.  Discipline.    Let’s make time each day for prayer and study of Scripture.  Let’s claim our community as a place of power as we work together to go deeper in Discipleship.   Join a Spiritual Life Small Group.   Come to Bible Study.   Seek a prayer partner.  You know what to do.  So, at the risk of aping some sneaker company, “Just do it.”

            Come to the waters and drink and you will be amazed what if feels like to be nourished in the Holy Spirit.   You will suddenly be aware of just how spiritually thirsty you have been.   So let us drink at the fountain of  love.  Let us quench our thirst with God’s Holy Spirit.   Let us drink the water that will keep us forever from thirst (John 4:14).

                                                                        Pastor Schuyler Rhodes