Agua Vita

Over the years I have seen how aggressive coca-cola and Pepsi have been in pushing their carbonated products to the public. They have had their victories in influencing the population to sing along with their jingles and their creative gimmicks.

I never liked soda pop. The stuff irritates my throat. If I had no other choice but to have a Coke, I would purposely pour the stuff as quickly as I could into the glass to produce as much foam. I would lap the foam up and the resultant liquid would be less stinging.

My girlfriend and I apparently share the same views when it comes to carbonated drinks. In fact, she's the one more eager in ordering plain water when we eat out. It was nice to find out that we were in the same crowd (along with my family) that says, 'why bother, drink water.'

When someone says the word 'water' to me, the word 'refreshing' would most likely be one of the words that would come to mind. I suppose there is still a vast majority of people in the world who would agree with me when I say that nothing beats water as a thirst-quencher. Here in the tropics we take water for granted, but I could imagine how, if we were suddenly airlifted into the middle of the Sahara desert, we would literally give the clothes on my back just to have a glass of water.

I believe, in a way, we are all in 'deserts' of our own. We work and/or go to school, exposing ourselves to the world and are constantly drained of vigor, and we are consequently dependent on our own 'water' of choice to keep us going.

The world is quick to capitalize on this need to refresh. Everywhere you look, you see all sorts of establishments - restaurants, computer shops, bars, motels, your girlfriend's parents' bedroom (not related unless you can relate), the company smoking area, cafés, gyms, spas... All promising refreshment in some way or form, but at a cost.

John 4:1-34 tells of the time when Jesus asked a Samaritan woman for a drink. This was the beginning of a conversation that would change countless lives forever. John 4:13-14 reads as follows:

Jesus answered and said unto her, 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 into everlasting life.

We can sweat for the water that we need to keep drinking - or we can ask Jesus Christ for a drink. I believe that in Christ, we are constantly refreshed and invigorated. For those of us who believe, He touches every part of our being, beyond the physical.

If we call ourselves followers of Christ, we would do well to keep this Word in our hearts:

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18 KJV)

And again, I quote:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16 KJV)

I could go on about my own experiences and insights on how I find rest in God through Jesus Christ, but I want to emphasize that we must, we MUST believe!

Jesus says 'come to Me, and I will give you rest.'
Satan says 'come to me, and I will take your rest.'

I'd probably be doing myself a favor by remembering this every time I had a glass of water.

Shalom.

Shared in http://jibee.blogspot.com/. יהוה bless you!