Watering Holes & Living Water

We saw them. They were huge, majestic. We came around a bend in the road, and there they were. Elephants. A large herd coming to a watering hole for some refreshment. A mother warthog with babies in tow, cautiously joined them. A bat eared fox wasn't far behind.

The watering hole served different purposes. Some animals came for a drink, while others bathed in its cloudy depths. Although their needs may have been varied, one thing was clear, the animals were drawn to the water.

As I marveled at the amazing creatures a stones' throw from our vehicle, I was reminded of the water that's necessary in my life - Living Water. Thoughts of a well in Samaria came to mind. A well where townspeople came to draw water necessary for their everyday lives. A well where Jesus sat one day.

A Samaritan woman came to the well, as she'd done every day that week. Only today was different. A man was sitting at the well. A Jewish man. Unusual, but the woman went about her task of collecting water in her pot, knowing that local custom would prevent the man from speaking to her anyway.

When his voice reached her ears, she all but dropped her water pot. What had he said? Her mind processed his words carefully, "Give me to drink, " (John 4:7b; KJV). She was so shocked, she blurted out a response without thinking, "How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans," (John 4:9).

The man's answer was puzzling. According to the statement he made, he must be someone important, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water," (John 4:10).

How could he dip water out of the well without a tool? Did he think he was greater than the patriarch Jacob who dug the well in the first place? Once again, his answer seemed like a riddle, "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up in to everlasting life," (John 4:13-14).

Now that sounded like a good deal! Never having to draw water again. Never being thirsty. She was ready to accept this man's offer...until he told her to go get her husband and come back. The truth tumbled out of her mouth, "I have no husband," (John 4:17a). The man's next words made her breath catch in her throat. "Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly," (John 4:17b-18).

He had to be a prophet. How else could he know the sordid truth about her past and her present? He seemed to know everything about her. Who was this man? Maybe he could tell her what she could do to please God. She shared her thoughts, "I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things," (John 4:25).

She wasn't prepared for his response. "I that speak unto thee am he," (John 4:26). Jesus. The man who had been talking to her was Jesus, the Messiah! The One who knew all about her sins, and loved her anyway.

She was ready to repent. She now understood what he meant by 'living water.' When she put her faith in him, he satisfied the needs of her soul for a Savior.

What about you? Are you still looking for something to satisfy your soul's 'thirst'? Look no further than Jesus Christ, the Messiah - the Living Water.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)     

Special Cousins

Christmas decorating is nearly done. Shopping is well under way. In just a few weeks, we'll have the opportunity to spend the holiday season with our extended family - one of the things I truly treasure this time of year. I can already picture my nieces and nephews opening their gifts and enjoying a special camaraderie that only cousins can share. My mind drifts back to some cousins from long ago.

Zacharias and Elisabeth didn't have any children. They had prayed diligently for the blessing of a baby, but with each passing year their hopes waned. But that all changed with the appearance of an angel with unbelievable news.

Zacharias was performing his duty as a priest in the Temple one day, when an angel of the Lord appeared, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. Imagine! What could this mean? Zacharias was afraid. The angel began to speak, "Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John," (Luke 1:13; KJV). I can picture Zacharias' surprise. Maybe he closed his eyes and re-opened them, wondering if his mind was playing tricks on him. But the angel was still there.

How could it be possible? Zacharias and his wife were old - surely they were well beyond child-bearing age. There was no way...He couldn't keep the question to himself any longer, "Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well sricken in years," (Luke 1:18). The angel, Gabriel's, response was a bit more than Zacharias had bargained for, "And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season," (Luke 1:20).

Imagine Elisabeth's surprise when her husband came home, unable to speak, yet sharing news that an angel had appeared to him, assuring him that they were going to have a baby! She was probably speechless herself, with words like, "No way!" echoing through her mind. But with God, all things were possible, and sure enough, Elisabeth conceived.

A few months later, and miles away in Nazareth, Elisabeth's cousin Mary received some incredible news as well. The same angel, Gabriel, appeared to Mary informing her that she would be the mother of the long-awaited Messiah. He went on to share with her, "And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren," (Luke 1:36).

The Messiah that had been prophesied all these years would be Mary's son? Unbelievable! And her cousin's son, John, would prepare the way for him. Mary chose to believe the angel's news and made a visit to Elisabeth.

As soon as Mary greeted her cousin, she was in for a surprise, "And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy," (Luke 1:41-44).

What followed, was a sweet time of praising the Lord for His incredible goodness. Two cousins, both expecting babies by miraculous means. I believe they spent an unforgettable three months together before Mary returned to Nazareth.

As you look forward to this Christmas season, make it a point to spend time with family and friends. And most importantly, take the opportunity to celebrate the Savior's birth!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of family. And for a time that is set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Help me share You with others this Christmas season. In Jesus' name, Amen.

A Price Worth Paying

December. The month we celebrate the birth of Jesus. As I decorated our Christmas tree and festive music played in the background, I couldn't help thinking about the time leading up to that first Christmas so many years ago...

No doubt Mary was excited. I imagine she was anticipating her marriage to Joseph, the talented carpenter. Wedding preparations were in full swing. No detail would be overlooked. The list of food for the celebration was thoroughly checked and re-checked. Although modest, accommodations for the guests were carefully thought through.

After a full day of chores and working on her wedding dress, Mary was more than ready for a good night of sleep. Little did she know this night would radically change the course of her life.

The being in her room could be none other than an angel. Before she could react, he was speaking, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women," (Luke 1:28; KJV). A bit frightened, Mary was troubled at his words, and wondered what he could possibly mean. Before she was able to respond, the angel delivered his message, "Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus," (Luke 1:30-31).

What? How could this be possible? Mary was a virgin. The angel gave her the answer, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God...For with God nothing shall be impossible," (Luke 1:35, 37).

Wow! Nothing less than incredible! To be highly favored by God, and chosen to be the mother of the Messiah. Mary's response was immediate, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word," (Luke 1:38). No hesitation. Full obedience.

As I continued to hang the Christmas ornaments on my tree, I couldn't help but think of the cost of obedience. For Mary, her reputation would be ruined. She would be shunned by family, friends, and society for becoming pregnant outside of marriage. It was possible that she could be stoned. Even her fiancé, Joseph, may not believe her. But Mary chose to believe God, and fully surrendered to His will for her. Although her life wasn't easy, Mary's obedience was rewarded by God. The Messiah was born Who would provide salvation for all mankind.

Obedience. Being willing to submit to the Lord's authority. I had to ask myself if I am willing to pay the price of being obedient to my Savior, if it means running the risk of suffering. Tough question. But one that I can answer in the affirmative when I contemplate the outcome - hearing the words of my Heavenly Father, "...Well done, thou good and faithful servant," (Matthew 25:21a).

Are you willing to pay the price of obedience to Christ? What step will you take to be obedient today?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your Word. I love the examples of ordinary people, just like me, who chose to be obedient to You. Help me to choose to be obedient to You today. In Jesus' name, Amen.

*The events leading up to the appearance of the angel are fictionalized by me. The quoted scriptures contain the factual account. For the entire story, read Luke 1:26-38.

The Perfect Storm

The sky is studded with grey clouds. The weather alarm is warning of probable thunderstorms. I can almost hear the rumble in the distance. There is an incredible stillness - reminiscent of the calm before a storm. I'm reminded of some unusual occurrences in nature many years ago. A couple thousand years ago, in fact. On the other side of the world, a group of people experienced the perfect storm.

It wasn't an ordinary day. Rumor had it that today was the day Jesus was to be crucified. Curiosity drew many people to Golgotha where He would be put to death along with two other men charged as thieves. Everyone had an opinion. Some believed Jesus to be a prophet, others considered Him just a good man, the religious leaders thought Him to be a fraud, while His followers believed Him to be the promised Messiah. Regardless of anyone's opinion, it wouldn't matter after today. He would be dead.

Standing several yards from the crosses, there was much to take in. The sign above Jesus' head read, "This is Jesus The King of the Jews," (Matthew 27:37; KJV). To the left, a group of Roman soldiers sat throwing dice, trying to determine who would get Jesus' clothes. Christ's followers stood wailing and comforting each other, while the chief priests, scribes and elders strolled in front of the cross mocking and deriding Him. "He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God," (Matthew 27:43).

A voice could be heard above the din. A voice that commanded attention. Jesus' voice speaking unthinkable words, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do," (Luke 23:34). I can imagine the looks of incredulity that passed among the crowds that day. The gasps of amazement at these words of pardon spoken by One who had done nothing worthy of death.
As the minutes ticked by, clouds began to gather. People glanced up at the sky, wondering at the darkness that seemed almost palpable. This wasn't normal. Something was wrong. As the darkness descended, and remained, Jesus cried out in agony, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34). What was going on?

Unbelievably, His voice rang out again with the proclamation, "It is finished," (John 19:30), followed by a simple prayer, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit," (Luke 23:46). As the onlookers tried to make sense of His words, it was apparent that Jesus had died. But wait, what was happening? The ground was shaking so violently those in the crowd could barely stand. Rocks that moments before had been part of the landscape, now came careening down the hillside. Graves that had long since been sealed were opened, and believers walked out and appeared to many (Matthew 27:51-53).

Never before had anything remotely close to this occurred. A Roman centurion and group of soldiers standing by Jesus cross, witnessing the earthquake and everything that happened, came to a conclusion, "Truly this was the Son of God," (Matthew 27:54). The very God who created all things, used His creation in the perfect storm to point to Himself as the perfect Savior!

Who do you think Jesus is? Allow His creation, and even the storms, to point you to the Savior. And confidently proclaim with Peter, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," (Matthew 16:16)!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins and rising again the third day! You are worthy of all of my praise. Creation does indeed testify to a great Creator. Help me to be aware of Your presence daily. I love You, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.