Water for Thirsting Souls

I just downed a water bottle in one long gulp. It surprised me when the plastic caved in on itself. I didn’t realize I was so thirsty until I started guzzling. And that, of course, reminded me of a story.

Our son and daughter were gifted athletes. That’s not an empty mama brag. The two of them excelled in a number of high school sports. There were a lot of similarities in how Jessica and Phillip approached competition and there were some distinct differences. Take tennis. Phillip gave himself every opportunity to perform well by paying attention to the fuel he was putting in his body before a match and he made sure he had plenty of liquid with him for the duration of the competition. His sister? Please. Despite my best and often repeated advice (Jessica might have said nagging, but I’m telling this), our daughter paid scant attention to her pregame nutrition. What’s worse, Jessica had this thing where she wouldn’t allow herself to drink water on changeovers if she wasn’t playing like she thought she should. She literally punished herself while she tried to turn the tide.

Today Jessica and I can laugh at that memory together. Denying yourself what you need the most because you aren’t performing well? Going without water until you’re so thirsty you suck the bottom out of the bottle? Who does these things? All of us, but I’ll take a public look in the mirror and allow y’all to learn from my experience.

I can be sorely thirsting for the Presence of Jesus, and let the cares of the day get in my way until I’m parched for His peace. That’s sad. I’ve also made poor decisions in the past about whether or not I can drink from His inexhaustible well based on my current judgment of my present performance. And even now when I know that’s faulty reasoning, I’m apt to fall victim to such thinking today. That’s equally tragic. Friends, Jesus is Living Water, we are desperate for Him, and He alone qualifies us to quench our thirsty souls.

Hugs, Shellie