Our Thirst

What comes to mind when you think of water? When I think of water, I think about how it is ESSENTIAL to life. I also think that it is pure and fulfilling to our thirst.

In our society today, this thirst can be defined by one word: love. Whether it be desiring to be loved by others, love what you are doing, or loving those around you; we ALL thirst for love. Jesus is the water that can quench our thirst. He is the only one who can fulfill this love we so strongly desire for. When we choose to drink water, we are physically healthier. In the same way, when we choose Jesus to satisfy our thirst for love, we are SPIRITUALLY healthier. However, the world offers us a different option to quench our thirst: soda. While we are drinking it we enjoy it, but overtime it can lead to serious health effects. When we choose to confide in the things of this world to fulfill our desire to be loved, we can have "fun" for the short period of time that is life but be spiritually damaged forever.

Sadly, water is rarely advertised and we see soda in its place. Jesus is rarely talked about in this world and on social media, TV, and the news we instead see the things of this world in His place, claiming they can help us find love and validation that we are loved. Instead of Jesus we see drugs, alcohol, sex, violence, and abuse, just to name a few things. And when Jesus is mentioned, His name is often put into a negative light. Christians in this world cannot be accepted because they "do not love everyone," as people outside the church would say. Christians are criticized because they are "old-fashioned" and "need to get with the times." Many churches are feeding into these lies and changing their beliefs to fit in with those of this world. In my opinion, this heretical behavior isn't Christianity at all. These people are false teachers persuading the minds of many innocent people and brainwashing them. But, this really does prove a point: there is so much pressure, especially on young people, to comply with what this world wants.

I'm so thankful that Jesus warned us of this! John 15:18-23 says “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me. They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin. Anyone who hates me also hates my Father." Some people think Scripture is old-fashioned, but this is just as applicable today as it was in Jesus' times. I'm so thankful that the world does not love me as one of its own, because that means I am apart from it! I do not want to be associated with sin and want my thirst to be fulfilled by water, not soda. "I chose you to come out of the world." Jesus CHOSE us to come out of this world so that we are not guilty. When he saved us, He was seated in the heavenly place and we can now have right standing before our Father. "A slave is not greater than the master." God is greater than us in every way imaginable and unimaginable and if Jesus was persecuted, we are likely to be persecuted too. I also loved this because it reminded me that there are two masters we can serve: the devil or God. God is a good master; even though we constantly fall short of His standard, He still forgives us and treats us graciously and with mercy. The devil offers no mercy and will never cease to punish us. Who would you rather serve? Jesus also says that since we have heard of Him, we have no excuse for continuing to live in sin. We need to, as Paul says in Ephesians 4:22-24, 'throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy." We need to encourage others around us, strangers and those we care about, to make this decision. This is showing our neighbor how Water quenched our thirst.

We are fighting a constant battle on whether we should stick with Jesus or dip our toes in to see what the world is like. Let me just reassure you that Jesus IS THE ONLY WAY. Do not let the devil get to you! He is only here to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus is here to give you a spiritually rich and satisfying life. (John 10:10) To end this post, I would like to talk a little more about our thirst for love. It is important to keep in mind that God is love (1 John 4:8), and that any love we see on Earth is only a mere reflection of His great love for us. This is why it's hard to believe people are still living in ignorance. Why would you choose to have love from an unfulfilling source when you could choose the source of all love, God? We need to lead others to the Love that set us free. Choose to drink the Water today!