Living Water

John 7:37-39

“37 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. 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.”

When we are thirsty we want to quench our thirst.  I have heard that a severe thirst burns within the person like fire and it is all they can think about until their thirst is quenched.  People who thirst for Christ are like that.  Nothing will satisfy their thirst except Christ.  

Christ satisfies our thirst once we believe.  He satisfies our burning thirst with living water; rivers of water flowing within us.  And the living water is the Holy Spirit.  

Once we come to faith, we receive the Holy Spirit who dwells within us and begins the work of sanctification; the lifelong process of creating within us a new creation, shaped and molded by the master potter in the image of Christ.  

So Lord, let the rivers flow, let the blind see, let the crippled walk.  Let the lepers be healed.  Let the Holy Spirit dwell within us.  Let the potter turn His wheel.

May the love of Christ be with you

Rev. Eric Lanier