Yet Another Year of Choices
By Barbara Dahlgren
I do not function well in hot weather. Growing up in the Mississippi River area, I am very familiar with hot weather. It’s not so much the heat that gets me; it’s the humidity. Some people perspire or glow in hot weather. Not me! I sweat! I mean really sweat.
Whenever it gets hot, I always think of the expression “hotter than hell.” I don’t know how hot that is, but if I can’t take the 100-degree temperatures, I don’t think I will function well there. So I want to avoid it at all costs.
When it gets really hot, nothing seems to quench my thirst like water. I don’t want soda or juice. I just want refreshing cool water. I want to jump into the water. I want to pour water on my head. I want to mist a little water on my face. I want to drink water. I just want water.
Water is an amazing substance. We all know that it is an essential element to life. Our body mass is more than 60% water. Every cell, tissue, and organ needs it to function. We can live longer without food than water. But did you know the following? A 1% decrease in water in our body makes us thirsty. A 5% decrease will cause a fever. An 8% decrease will cause our body to turn blue and we won’t be able to produce saliva. If we have a 10% decrease, we won’t be able to walk. A 12% decrease results in death. Is it any wonder that the Bible is full of analogies about water?
Some people get ill from being dehydrated, not knowing that all they need to do is drink some water. Our souls can get dehydrated as well. Our souls need living water, and it is there for the asking.
When the Samaritan woman came to draw water from the well in John 4, Jesus told her that He could give her “living water.” (John 4:10-14) He told her that those who drank her well water would thirst again, but those who would drink of His “living water” would never thirst again.
She implored, “Sir, give me this water.” (John 4:15) She was a wise woman. She recognized a good deal when she saw one. Later on Jesus said, “If any thirst, let him come to me and drink” and He went on to say that if you believe in Him, He will give you this “living water!” (John 7:37,38)
Of course, this is a spiritual analogy but we are spiritual in nature, not just physical. Our bodies have need of physical water, but our souls have need of this “living water.” This “living water” is ours for the asking. Just ask and believe.
We are told in Revelation, “…let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”
Consider this… We are probably going to have more hot days ahead – a lot more! I don’t know if they will be “hotter than hell.” I do know that there is no need to endure unbearable heat when we can easily ask for a drink of “living water.”
One final thought…
Only “living water” can quench the thirst of a parched soul.
