Water is essential to life. It is a wonderful way to relax, listening to the waves at the coast, or listening to the raindrops on the windows. When your feet are weary of walking around exploring a place then a drink can relieve your tiredness. This small holiday near to the Forth estuary at Edinburgh has been relaxing but also tiring, but coming back to the water has been a great way to renew our strength.
And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
The Spirit is the Holy Spirit and the bride is the church. (by church I mean the whole universal church of God, not any particular denomination)
Children follow by our example. It seems quite an eye opener when you first have children that children mirror very closely. Parents are the first peers children will learn from. I can’t complain about my children doing something if I am doing this very thing myself, and also if we don’t mirror that behaviour and way of life for them, it is very hard for them to start that behaviour later.
In this passage it seems startling to me, that both the Spirit and the bride both say “come”. They are inviting people towards themselves, they are being hospitable. They show how we should act, and then it says let him who hears say, “Come!” Jesus mirrored the way we should live and He wants us to follow by His example. He has not left much open to interpretation. When something is left open to interpretation we are guided by the Spirit and by the church, but we must discern everything from scripture to check that we really are hearing from the Holy Spirit clearly, or that the church is clearly doing the will of God.
Whoever had need came to Jesus and Jesus fulfilled that need.
Whoever has need that comes to us, we must fulfil that need. I say that with a little hesitation because sometimes I seem reluctant, perhaps my comfort in life with my family and my relationships stops me from opening my arms wide to accept everyone. As lent has started, a period of reflection is undertaken. Can I open my arms wide and finally have Jesus remove this blockage that I may have imposed on myself.
Can we remove the limits that we have imposed on our love for others?
For the poor, the homeless, those that are sat on there own, the lonely, the ones that are finding life hard. Once we accept this challenge to open our arms to accept no limitation then we may have no fear because Jesus is the river of life. He has a never ending supply of refreshing life that will renew us and renew those we pray for.
God renewed that covenant with mankind when Noah stepped off his ark. That covenant sign was a rainbow, and just as God destroyed all life with water, He also renews it with His Son and His great sacrifice.
I pray that we should reach out this lent, that we should open our arms and accept all who come, to fulfil their needs and show God’s love through our actions.
Amen
With blessings
Graham
365 Exhortations 