“But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” – John 4:14
My house is in a small neighborhood. At the end of our street, in our quiet little neighborhood, is a pond. I enjoy my morning walks past the pond. I love seeing the occasional ducks, geese, and cranes. They stop in to enjoy the shade along the banks and cool off in the water. It is a nice little oasis in an otherwise busy community.
Unfortunately, our neighborhood, like most of Oklahoma, has gone for some time without significant rain. The stream that feeds this pond is dry, and the water has become stagnant. Much of the water has evaporated in the hot Oklahoma summer, while algae and moss has begun to grow on top of the water that remains. The dry, hot weather is difficult for the life of the pond. Rain is needed to refresh our neighborhood escape.
The late summer condition of our pond made me think about how dry our spiritual life can become. Our life of faith can become dry, quickly. To keep from becoming spiritually stagnant and have our souls become arid, we must stay connected to our source of life-giving water.
In John’s gospel, Jesus encounters a woman at a well. She is there in the middle of the day, looking for water, in the middle of the wilderness. Jesus gives her good news. He says, “but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14) The woman is excited for this possibility. She tells Jesus, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.”
When our souls are thirsty, dry, and arid, we can come to Jesus – who freely gives life-affirming grace. When we feel stagnant, like our lives are sluggish at best, we can look to Jesus who refreshes us with mercy and love. In his presence we find life, abundant and full. Spend some time with Jesus today. Let him quench your parched soul.
Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
