Thirsty
By Elizabeth Cole
“ ‘...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 (NIV)
Imagine a young girl named Jill who wakes up after a terrifying experience, dull with grief and horribly thirsty. She becomes simultaneously aware of a gurgling stream and a huge Lion nearby:
“Are you thirsty?” said the Lion.
“I’m dying of thirst,” said Jill.
“Then drink,” said the Lion.
“May I - - could I - - would you mind going away while I do?” said Jill.
The Lion answered this only by a look and very low growl...
The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.
“Will you promise not to - - do anything to me, if I come?” said Jill.
“I make no promise,” said the Lion.
Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer...
“I daren’t come and drink,” said Jill.
“Then you will die of thirst,” said the Lion.
“Oh dear!” said Jill, coming another step nearer. “I suppose I must go and look for another stream then.”
“There is no other stream,” said the Lion. [1]
The invitation to come near...to drink of a singular life-giving water...to be changed. It’s a poignant moment when Jill is introduced to Aslan the Lion in The Silver Chair.
Envision a not-so-young woman who finds herself dull with the ache of bad life-choices and horribly thirsty. She comes to a well and to a Man who engages her in conversation, knows everything about her disappointments and pain, and invites her to drink of a water like no other. A water that deeply satisfies, that brings ever-abundant springs of living water and life everlasting. The Scriptures show us that not only does she accept the Man’s invitation, she is changed (John 4:4-42).
What about you? Have you woken this day after another life-draining experience...dull with grief...aching from the life-choices that now rule you? Or are you flat-lined, simply and completely parched to your very bones? Listen for its echoes as you long for a delicious rippling stream for your soul. He is here.
Jesus invites you to come, “to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.” There is no other stream...it is He whom you long for. Come and be changed. Come and drink deeply. Come and be satisfied.
GOING DEEPER:
1. Where are you in your spiritual quest for soul-satisfying water?
2. If you know Jesus, how are you drinking deeply of Him today? If you don’t, what would one step closer look like?
FURTHER READING:
[1] C.S. Lewis, The Silver Chair (New York: HarperCollins), 20-21.
Elizabeth is a wife with three grown daughters and two sons-in-law, and is the Director of Connecting at Oakwood Church.
