Jesus…shouted to the crowds, ‘Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!’  Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’ John 7:37-38

The month of January brought to my attention a myriad of articles referring to specific words or phrases made apparent to various authors through contemplation and discernment that will hopefully help to guide them through the year twenty twenty-five in a closer relationship with Jesus or help them meet career and financial goals, strengthen family bonds or in countless other endeavors. Clearly the word most commonly heard in our home this past week and the most helpful has been hydration. There’s a good chance it may have made its way into your home too. You see, COVID came calling at our home, but those other culprits, Influenza A and B, have certainly made the rounds as well. If any of them came to your home, my prayers are with you.

You all know the drill when a respiratory virus appears at your doorstep and won’t take “NO” for an answer. Get plenty of rest, take medication when needed for pain and fever, and drink plenty of fluids. Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate! Drinking water is almost as natural as breathing to me but for Ken, it’s a lot harder. It isn’t that he doesn’t like to drink water, he just becomes preoccupied and forgets. But when it comes to liquids, we seldom choose anything but good old water.

Our insulated cups are a constant in our lives. They reside beside recliners or beds when we’re at home. They travel in the cup holders of our car whenever we go anywhere. But this past week they’ve been indispensable to soothe a raspy throat or moisten lips dried by fever. Water, as we know, is the sustenance of physical life. Our bodies can’t survive without it. It’s a constant in all the earth’s living creatures. Without water, our organs will shrivel and die. If you’re an athlete, you know how essential water is to your end game. But it isn’t just athletes who need to up their intake. We all fall short of our daily requirements at times.

I am invited to drink the living water of Christ’s salvation. His Spirit will water, refresh, and revive my soul. Max Lucado, Calm Moments for Anxious Days

Physical water keeps us, our pets, and our plants alive and well hydrated, but there is a well deep within each of our souls that thirst for the Living Water that only a solid relationship with Jesus can fill. If your spiritual well is running empty, it’s time to seek the company of the only One who can fill it. Seek Him wherever you are and you will find that he’s always there, right at your side. Your spouse, your parent or your coach can run beside you with a water supply that you can see, but to receive Living Water, you must believe in what you cannot see. Open your heart to Him and Living Water will flood the reservoir of your soul and you will never thirst again.

I am invited to drink the living water of Christ’s salvation. His Spirit will water, refresh,  and revive my soul. Drink with me from his bottomless well. You don’t have to live with a dehydrated heart. Max Lucado, Calm Moments for Anxious Days

Old man COVID seems to be on the wane now. His telltale signs will linger for a while yet, but the worst is behind us, thanks in no small part to the water we could see and the Living Water that we couldn’t see but always knew was there, stored up in our souls for just such a time.

Thank you, Jesus!