Jessica Albritton, Family Connections Minister, LHBC
Revelation 22:17
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
I have been to the village of Teller, Alaska a handful of times on missions trips. The village is tucked away on the Bering Strait and because of its location the village doesn’t have access to a continual aquifer. This means no running water for the people that live there. Once the winter hits and the pipes freeze, the people of Teller have to rely on the water collected in the silo from the warmer months in order to get them through the harsh winter. Water is a big deal in the village as the members of the community understand its significance. Water is essential for survival. While we may be able to survive a few weeks without food, humans can go only a few days without water. There have been a handful of times where the village has had to issue notices to the residents to limit their water usage if the levels get too low. Residents understand that if they don’t conserve the water it could affect the village in detrimental ways later down the road. Every time I think of that remote village I remember the significance of water and how so often we take it for granted.
All throughout the Bible scripture uses water to represent life. Jesus in John chapter 4 referred Himself as the Living Water. In John chapter 7 Jesus tells believers if they are thirsty to come to Him and out of their heart will flow rivers of life. In Revelation chapter 22 we see the most beautiful invitation to all people to come and take the water of life without price. The beauty of the gospel is that it is God’s free gift to us, to have a relationship with the creator of the universe, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Once we have Jesus in our hearts, once we drink from His well, scripture promises we will never be thirty again. But that in no way means we should stop coming to Jesus to be filled up. Jesus is the true water of life. His grace and mercy are sufficient. He gives out of abundance. There is no conservation needed when it comes to His living water. But so often we live like that don’t we? We come to church, get filled up with a healthy dose of His living water, and then go throughout the rest of the week drawing from Sunday’s bucket. But Jesus wants better for us, He desires more. He is a continual aquifer that will never run dry. And the best part, it’s a free gift He gives! The invitation in Revelation 22 is to come to Jesus Himself! To receive forgiveness for sin and life eternal, to be filled with His Spirit!
How about you? Are you daily running to Jesus to be filled up with His living water? Or are you conserving water from Sunday’s bucket? Friend, run to Jesus today and be filled up!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Heavenly Father, help me not to treat my relationship with You conservatively. Lord, You give from a well that never runs dry! May I never use Sunday’s bucket to sustain my week! Fill me up daily with Your grace and mercy! Lord make me more like You! In Jesus name, amen!
MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
Jeremiah 32:17
Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.