Water For the Thirsty

 

“On the last day and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.”*

Our friend Kim Hawes came by to visit in February, brightening our day with her cheery smile, inspiring stories, chocolate chip cookies and a plant sporting three bright red flowers.

Although it was much too cold to put outside, she had bought it thinking that we would enjoy watching it grow during the spring and summer.

From February to May, I tended the plant, a Gerbera Daisy, in the house, trying to keep the potting soil from drying out but not overwatering it either. Once when I had missed a few days, the flowers’ petals curled under, and the leaves drooped until they lay flat on the potting soil. I was relieved when the plant perked up again after being watered thoroughly.

The original daisies eventually wilted, but more buds opened later providing bright color and happy memories during dreary days. Even though its roots were growing into a tangled mat in the bottom of the container, our plant hung on until the weather was warm enough to transplant outside.

A relative of the African Daisy that flourished in warmer climates, would the Gerbera Daisy survive our cool spring temperatures? Much to my dismay, on its first night outdoors the temperature dropped down to 49 degrees, much cooler than the preferred range listed on the sticker.

In lieu of digging it up and taking it back inside, Al suggested covering it with a paper bag, which I did. Thankfully, the plant survived the night and the following evening too with little damage! Its leaves looked pretty good, although not as lush as they had been in the house.

After that cold spell, the evenings have been getting warmer with temperatures in the seventies during the day…good for plants and people too! More buds are opening on the daisy, so I’m hoping to have a success story to share with our thoughtful friend, Kim. Now it is just a matter of keeping it watered...but not too much!

As I was thinking about the Gerbera Daisy and its need for water, I realized that I had been feeling peaked, wilted, spiritually dry. The reason? Maybe too much going on in my life coupled with a failure to depend on the power of the Holy Spirit for the necessary strength.

Pentecost, the holiday that commemorates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus’ disciples after his death and resurrection, will be celebrated around the world on Sunday, May 19^th. But we don’t have to wait until May 19^th to experience the power of the Spirit in our everyday lives!

 I remember getting together with a small group of believers as a new Christian, discouraged and finding it difficult to live the Christian life. They assured me that not only was it difficult, it was impossible!

Then my friends proceeded to tell me about the Holy Spirit, showing me passages from the Bible that revealed His purpose and function in our lives. Hearing their words brought great hope and restored my joy.

Not only does the Spirit come to live within us when we receive Jesus as Savior and Lord, He begins to change our hearts, giving us the wisdom and power to be Jesus’ followers. Trying to do things on our own without His power leaves us feeling spent, spiritually dry.

Through the infilling of the Holy Spirit, not only is our thirst satisfied, His  “streams of living water” flow outward from us, touching the lives of others as well.

I certainly need to come to drink Jesus’ living water, not just sporadically, but regularly—every day. May He satisfy your thirst as well, as you come to Him and drink.

God bless you!

“He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:7-8 NIV)

*John 7: 37-39 NIV