“Water, To Live By!” When I think more about the title for this week’s message, I almost want to say, “DUH!” If I’m not mistaken, NOTHING could live without water! Jesus’ point in making the statement to the woman at the well was so she would understand just exactly what he was offering her. While God made water to be the one miracle we cannot live without, the water Jesus offers us is the everlasting kind. Let’s think this week about Jesus’ “Water, to live by!”
Monday, March 28 -
When I think of some of the poor people in Japan, they must be asking the same type of question the Israelites asked Moses about thirsting. The Japanese must be asking, “Lord, did you bring us through the earthquake just so we could experience the slow, agonizing death of radiation poisoning from the nuclear power catastrophe?” While we know (and so did the Israelites and the Japanese) God would never do that, our human frailties cause us to ask such questions. God will never abandon us or forsake us. Indeed God offers us the “living water” which is eternal life. Today, let us pray for our sisters and brothers in Japan and ask God to remove the doubt from us that causes us to question the eternal quenching that is ONLY available from God.
Tuesday, March 29 -
The Psalmist sings to “the rock of our salvation” when describing God in this 95th chapter. When we consider what God allowed to happen through Moses’ striking the rock at Horeb we catch a glimpse of why the people name God in this way. Had it not been for God’s intervention, the Israelites would have surely died of thirst. But, God promised to lead the people to the Promise Land, and that’s exactly what God was doing through Moses’ great leadership. Think today about all the ways God is YOUR “rock of salvation” or “water, to live by.”
Wednesday, March 30 -
I talked with two of my Confirmation boys recently about “faith.” One of them defined it as “hope.” Paul does the same in Romans 5. He reminds us that we are justified by faith… While Paul sometimes talks in circles, this is one time his “circling” makes good sense. He said, “…we boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” It’s often true that faith (hope) comes to us through this amazing circular trek. It’s when we go through the rigors of this cycle of life we begin to realize that God alone is indeed our “water, to live by!”
Thursday, March 31 -
The scene at Jacob’s well must have been amazing! Jesus greeted the Samaritan woman (which wasn’t done in that culture). She knew the rules and was surprised, not only by the fact that he asked her for a drink, but that he had a surprising challenge for her as well. In many respects, the same could be said of us. We find it surprising that the Son of God, the Savior of the world, would come to us and offer us “water, to live by” the same as he offered to the woman at the well. The difference in our stories is that we have benefit of knowing Jesus’ history as well as all that he is capable of…!
Friday, April 1 -
Because of the Samaritan woman’s testimony many other Samaritans came to believe in Jesus. That is, her testimony encouraged them to “taste” this Jesus for themselves. The same is true for us. We can spread the news of the Gospel of Christ to everyone we meet. They NEED to hear that word from us as we are called by him to spread that Word. But, it is up to each one to decide whether they will accept the amazing gift he offers. If you have shared God’s love with someone who has not reached out yet, pray today that they will come to know our Lord as “water, to live by.”