September 3, 2020 -- John 7:37-39 -- What thirsts are driving you?

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “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.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

John 7:37-39 English Standard Version

Jesus cried out: “If anyone thirsts”—the first important point here is to know whether or not you are thirsty! After the initial phase of feeling thirsty a person who is becoming dehydrated will experience symptoms like: sunken eyes, dizziness, hot and dry skin because sweating has stopped, lack of energy, some people will eat when in fact they are thirsty. If you haven’t figured out the problem, you don’t know how to address it. There are many spiritually thirsty people in the world, parched for a true encounter and deep relationship with the God the Father and our Creator. Because they do not realize this is what they long for, they indulge in all kinds of things which is like chewing sand when one wants water.

When we meet Jesus Christ—believing in Him—our hearts are satisfied. In fact, there is such an abundance of life-giving water that from the overflow of our hearts we are able to speak with others about Jesus. We tell them the joy we have found in Him. We let others know our sinful inclinations and the wickedness that had gripped us these all have lost their powers because of the greater blessing and stronger pull of knowing Jesus Christ.

Notice what Jesus directed His hearers to: the Word and the Spirit (Who would be poured out at Pentecost). For us to remain at the spout where the blessings of God are poured out into our hearts because of Jesus Christ we must go to the Word asking for the help of the Spirit. In all things we must continually submit our lives and our words, our actions and our thought-life to Jesus Christ.

When I was at the Gather To Go event on Tuesday, I heard something Eli said. (Gather to Go is a time where youth and all those drawn by the Spirit of God gather to worship Him and pray in order that they may go and proclaim Jesus’s Name to others.) Eli said, “We are singing ‘And highest praises, Lord of all (We bring to You)’. What are those, highest praises? It is our obedience to God, not just words, but a life submitted to Him". That is wonderful insight.

As Voddie Baucham says it, often we just want our liver to quiver. We want a “worship experience” and then go home unchanged. It just means we will live as dehydrated people. For us to experience what Jesus promised, Living Water flowing out from us, we must go to Him Who is the Source. Delighting in Him in worship. Listening to His Word. Bathed in the Presence of the Spirit Who delights to bring us to Jesus and make Him known to us. From that place of refreshment and satiation it is both a discipline and a heart-satisfying impulse to live in obedience to Jesus in all things.

Forgive us, King Jesus, for the times we are choosing to crunch sand between our teeth and then complain because we are not finding You to be Living Water. Spirit of the Living God, show us our thirstiness for the things of Jesus. Spirit lead us away from all the siren songs of our age so that our hearts and ears are tuned to Your invitation to drink deeply from the wells of salvation: Jesus the Source of Living Water. Blessed are You, mighty God of Wonder, for You have in Your awesome love provided for us a way to know You, delight in You, and find in You soul satiation and satisfaction that starts now and will stretch into all eternity. Hallelujah, we sing to You, Triune God, highest praises. Amen.

Today’s song is a cover version. This man’s voice is not perfect. His quiet acoustic rendition of this song is quite inviting and I think the lyrics are quite clear as he sings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JomRoHM9NTk