What Would You Do for Water?
What would you do for water?
God spoke it into existence. Noah built an ark. Isaac dug wells. Jacob drew water from the wells to impress a girl. Moses struck a rock.
This Sunday we will participate in the Birmingham Walk4Water to raise money in cooperation with Healing Hands International for wells that will provide clean drinking water in developing countries. Many people throughout the world walk an average of four miles per day just to get suitable water to drink. Our prayer is that we will raise more money than ever before and that God will be glorified by our efforts.
But we thirst, of course, for something more than H2O. We long for a spiritual substance, living water. What would you do for that water? More importantly, what does Christ ask you to do?
You might be surprised by the answer. His command is simple. He asks us to drink.
These are the instructions he gave to the Samaritan woman at the well: “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14).
He repeated these instructions in Jerusalem at the Feast of Booths. Part of this annual celebration included the transportation of water over a period of seven days from the pool of Siloam to the temple in commemoration of the miraculous waters at Meribah provided in Israel’s wilderness wanderings. Against the backdrop of that ritual, Jesus announced, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38). John clearly pointed out that this water symbolized the Holy Spirit who would be given after Jesus was glorified (v. 39).
Once again, these instructions are repeated by Jesus at the close of the New Testament: “And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price” (Rev. 22:17).
He could have commanded us to “win” or “achieve” or “earn,” commands that would have prevented many from having even an opportunity to quench their thirst. But he said, “Drink!” Isn’t it amazing that no one is considered disqualified from everlasting water that satisfies the soul? There is no partiality with God. All people, regardless of race, economic status, or social standing, are called to come and drink the water of eternal life.
It’s important, of course, to address physical needs, but we must never do so to the exclusion of our spiritual needs. Have you tasted the living water Jesus provides? Do you understand its importance? What would you do to drink it? It’s within the reach of everyone who believes and obeys the gospel (John 3:36; Heb. 5:9).
Drew Kizer
