04/13/18 - John 7

April 13, 2018 – John 7

Jesus: "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, rivers of living water will flow from within them." John 7:37-38

The craving of the soul is not satisfied by temporary pleasures but by the eternal filling of Jesus.

California is experiencing a drought this year due to a lack of rain/snow.  It happens periodically, due to rain patterns and seasonal changes, but this drought is severe enough already that water restrictions are being applied in some areas, and farmers are already being cut back.  That leads to fallow fields, dead lawns, higher crop prices, and much more.  An already thirsty valley is parched and desperate for water.

What is interesting is that only a couple of years ago, the water supply ran a huge surplus.  There was water for everything, and no worries about dry fields or dead lawns.  We had a banner year – but last year’s water supply doesn’t mean much this year.  No matter how much water we get this year, we will still need the same supply next year.  The valley is never satisfied!

People aren’t much better than valleys when it comes to being satisfied.  Everything in this life needs replenished.  While we can live off the overflow for a little while, sooner or later we need a fresh supply to keep going.

Jesus said eternal things don’t work that way.  When you get hold of something eternal, it keeps resupplying your life.  Take forgiveness as an example.  You can water the dryness of guilt away every time by the forgiveness you have in Jesus.  Or how about grace.  Once we accept it, the river seems to keep flowing every day.  Or how about mercy.  Discovering God’s mercy is like the sun coming up every morning – it’s there even when the clouds try to hide it from us. 

Rivers typically start from one of two sources:  either runoff from rain, or pressure from a spring.   Jesus says that temporary things are like rivers from rain, you’ll never have enough to last; but permanent things are like springs underground, it just keeps coming up no matter how much it rains.  Eternal things don’t come from outside sources, they are freshly supplied by the Holy Spirit from within.

Don’t keep chasing things that are never finished.  Spend your life looking for the springs.  Then you will have the endless supply of life-giving water to live on.  And that’s much better than hoping it will rain.