I’ve been watching “The Chosen” with my husband and marveling at Jesus. Wondering where He is in the scene. Looking for Him and wondering when He’ll show up on the screen. Thankful each time He does. My heart goes out to Him as I watch His heart go out to others.
Some have issues with the show, but just like any church full of people, there can be no perfect one. No perfect recreation of our Creator. Only He is perfect and can translate scripture perfectly.
Still, the show makes me thirsty. Thirsty for more of Jesus. And, isn’t that always good and what He wants? God uses us, imperfect ones to point to Him. He’s looking for our hearts. Too often, our heads get in the way.
We watched the scene with the woman at the well. He told her all she had done. And rather than get angry or blame Him for the hard times that she had been through, she rejoiced. She beamed. She felt nothing but joy and amazement.
She wasn’t embarrassed that this man could tell her every man she’d been with and why. She was filled with joy and relief that He MUST be who He said He was. Who she (and so many others) had been waiting on. She couldn’t wait to tell anyone who would listen! That He “told her everything she had done.”
When others pointed out her past, she’d grown cold, angry, bitter, and mad at their rejection and disgust of what she’d done.
But, when Jesus did. Pure joy.
He told her and then accepted her. He told her so that she would believe. Only then could she also believe He loved her and that He was the One she was looking for. He told her her past with love in His eyes.
Love and Truth that she couldn’t deny.
He didn’t tell her to condemn, but to reveal His heart and love for her. “You’ve done this (you fill in the blank). Not only do I know, I know why you did it and I love you.”
The devil tells us our past so that we can feel despair and hopelessness. Jesus tells us so that we can know He loves us anyway and still.
What a stark difference. Water for our parched souls, so refreshing. What we’re all searching for and need every day. Just like we need water to drink.
Jesus told this Samaritan woman at the well that He is “Living Water”. That if she comes to Him, she’ll never be thirsty again. Trying to get through to her that the water at the well (as vital as it is) was different than the water He offers.
He offers our answer. We need physical water for our bodies. He is the water our souls need.
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” –John 4:13-14 (NIV)
As Christians, we are told that we are to be salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13).
Salt creates thirst physically. Most of us need a drink after pretzels or potato chips. And we are to create thirst spiritually (salt). Create a thirst for Him by how we live, how we love, and how we admit our faults and weaknesses.
When He says we will never be thirsty again, I wonder if this means when we are with Him in heaven. Because, even though I’ve accepted Him here, I stay thirsty. Thirsty for more of Him. Wanting to be where He is. Wanting to talk with Him. Reading, watching, looking for Him. I want more of Him. I pray I help others to as well.
Salt and Living Water. Salt makes us thirsty. He offers Living Water that we may never thirst again.
Interesting.
The more I get and learn of Him, the more I want. Thirsty. His Kingdom, once again, turns us upside down in our world.
He knows what I’ve done and He loves me. Same for you. He knows and has compassion for us. He wants us to look to Him and marvel. He wants us to know that not only does He know, He also did what He did for us BECAUSE He knows. He loves us that much.
Stay thirsty, my friend. For more of Him. The Living Water.
One day, only He will quench our thirst. Eternal life with Him. Because here, I just can’t get enough. More and more of You, Jesus…
The Love We Crave 