You’ve probably seen the movie of shipwrecked men who are left drifting aimlessly on the ocean in a lifeboat. As the days pass under the scorching sun, their rations and fresh water finally give out. These men grow deliriously thirsty. Finally, one night while the others are asleep, one man ignores all previous warnings and gulps down some salt water. He quickly dies.
Ocean water contains seven times more salt than the human body can safely ingest. Drinking it, a person dehydrates because his kidneys demand extra water to flush the overload of salt. The more salt water someone drinks, the thirstier he gets. He actually dies of thirst. (1)
We can die of thrist by drinking too much of the wrong thing (saltwater), or not enough of the right thing (water/dehydration). We can die from lack of thirst or from excessive thirst. Both can signal disease, a medical condition or mental disorder. Thirst tells our body we need more fluids, so we should drink more if we are thirsty, but it also tells our body to be sure to maintain adequate fluid levels each day even if we’re not thirsty. (2)
We are living in a dry and thirsty land.
And I don’t just mean here in California, where we are facing the driest winter in over 100 years and where all 58 counties are in a drought emergency proclamation. Even though CADrought Action declares these times, “the driest conditions in recorded history”, I believe they speak to both the physical conditions of the land and the spiritual conditions of the land that are dry and thirsty.
Who of us has not had the sensation of dryness in our mouth and throat in these past two years? Who of us would deny the major changes in patterns of what we have thristed for? Are there those of you who have craved vehemently for justice, or understanding or truth lately?
Those symptoms are the very definitions of thirst as provided by the dictionary and medical professionals.
What do we do about it? What do we do when we are thirsty? We better drink, right, and the correct fluid, too.
“… is anyone thirsty? Come! All who will, come and drink. Drink freely of the Water of Life.”
Revelation 22:17 MSG
I find it noteworthy, that near the very last verse of the Bible (verse 21 is the last one in Rev. 22), we have a standing invitation to COME and quench our thirst. COME and drink freely. COME one, COME all. Whoever is gripped with a spiritual thirst for more than the dry, ole, stale drought of the past 2 years, COME and drink freely from the Water of Life. Whoever craves fresh, vibrant, refreshing, cool, life-giving water, COME and rehydrate yourself.
“Come everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come buy and eat! Come buy milk and wine without money and without price.”
Isaiah 55:1 ESV
“For I will pour water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground.”
Isaiah 44:3 ESV
Let me repeat, you and I have a standing invititation to COME and drink when we are thirsty.
We offer standing invitations to come into our homes (and perhaps even stay) only to our closest friends and family. They are always welcome, anytime and always embraced, enjoyed, and provided for, right? THAT is the offer that Jesus extends to YOU – COME. You are always welcome and will always be embraced, enjoyed and provided for.
Jesus said,
” If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” John 7:37
From Jesus we receive fresh, refreshing water, that will renew and spiritually rehydrate us. The problem is, we often pass up His standing invitation and drink from that salty water that will only make us more thirsty until we eventually die of thirst.
I love what Hosea says, “I cared for you… in the land of drought…” Hosea 13:5
In this dry and thristy land, in the dryness of our soul and in our parched wanderings, it is the standing offer of the Lord to COME and drink that booms forth to you today. His invitation and your response to it will change your wilderness into a pool of water with springs of water flowing. Psalm 107:35
Could it be that we are living in the driest conditions in history because God is offering the most massive downpour of refreshing that the world has ever seen?
Are you thirsty? Will you accept His standing invitation for you to COME and drink or will you die of your thirst?
Cheers to you,
Debbie
- Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching; Craig Larson; pg. 147
- Healthgrades.com; WIlliam C. Lloyd III, MD
Under Debra’s Palm 