John 7:37-39
On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’ ” Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive, for as yet there was no Spirit because Jesus was not yet glorified.
On the east side of the Cascade mountains in Washington state lies a seemingly endless desert. Sagebrush covers the land, and the area looks completely desolate. It is a place that is missing one thing – water. Amazingly, when snow melts in those mountains, and the melt is collected in reservoirs along the mountain passes and applied to the land, some of the finest fruits and vegetables in the world grow. The rich volcanic soil combined with life-giving water provides ideal growing conditions.
In John 7 Jesus emphasizes the life-giving property of water. He likens himself to that characteristic to help people understand that real life comes through him. He wants them to understand that he is essential to true life. His deep, deep desire for people to have such life becomes apparent in the words he chooses to use. In those words, Jesus offers himself to anyone who needs a drink. There are no limitations or qualifiers on who can have it. “All” should come; “all” should drink. All have a chance to be loved by God, thoroughly, completely, and just as they are.
God’s overwhelming love giving us life allows us to be part of the action in another way. Once we know we are completely loved we get to help the world and all in it know they are absolutely cherished by God. Each of us gets to communicate to other individuals God’s rejoicing in them. Knowing one is completely treasured leads to one acting as if one is completely treasured. As treasured women and men of God we see the worth and value in each other. The living water fills us with power to look beyond self and to help create a world and an existence that reflects God’s kingdom and attempts to mirror God’s presence. When live-giving water is applied, rejoicing can abound and the finest fruit of kindness, of speaking up to injustice, of laboring to provide the essentials of daily life to places where critical need exists can occur.
It can be fun; it will be life-sustaining; it does bring us nearer to our marvelous God.
-- Dianne Tombaugh, retired deacon
