Never Thirsty?

This post is by Jennifer Dixon.

What if you never felt thirsty again? Did you know that "feeling thirsty" is the first sign of dehydration?  One of my favorite stories in the Bible is about being thirsty and having that thirst quenched.

In John 4, Jesus stopped at a well and had an interesting conversation with a Samaritan woman. He asked her for a drink of water and she began making excuses. Then He told her that He could give her living water. And with this water, she would never thirst again.  

John 4:13-14  Jesus replied, "Everyone who drinks  this water (from the well) will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them, will never thirst. Indeed the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (ESV) Jesus is the living water.

Just as Jesus and the Word of God are vital for our spiritual health, staying properly hydrated is vital for our physical (and mental) health. We learn in elementary school that 50% to 70% of our bodies are made of water. Water has unlimited benefits to our physical bodies. So many parts of our bodies work better when properly hydrated.  These include our cells, bones, joints, muscles, and brain. Proper hydration helps with better skin and more clear thinking. It would be absurd to not give our bodies the proper hydration that it needs.  

But what about our spiritual health and the living water? I would like to compare keeping our physical bodies and our spiritual bodies properly hydrated. Some of the symptoms of physical dehydration are headache, fatigue, and dizziness. Just a quick thought of when we don't spend proper time in God's Word: Can't we feel our head hurting, and spinning? Trying to figure out things on our own, leaning on our own understanding? God's Word is an anchor, a guide, our instruction.

And just like physical dehydration can lead to fatigue, trying to do life without Him will leave us drained and exhausted. His living water will be a spring welling up in us. How refreshing a promise! Just like sipping cold water on a hot day, or after a hard workout. But unlike continually quenching our physical thirst, His is a spring, actually WELLING up!!!

So, how do we stay hydrated physically? How do we continually reap the benefits of His living water?  I found some tips online for ensuring we stay hydrated. And it is fascinating to see ways that we can remember to drink the Living Water.  

Tip #1: Make water accessible. Perhaps carry a reusable water bottle with you. 

What if we made God's Word easily accessible? We can memorize His Word, so that it wells up in our hearts and minds. We can write verses out and have visual reminders: on our fridge, our mirror, our car dash, our desk at work. 

Tip #2: Set water reminders. Maybe a timer or app to remind us to make it a habit.  

What about reminders to be in the Word? There are several Bible apps and we can set alarms throughout the day. We can choose a verse of the day. We can write it out and put it in our pocket and read it throughout the day. 

Tip #3: Drink water with meals.  

Reading the verse of the day before each meal will help to keep our mind and heart focused on Him and His goodness.

Tip #4: Drink water at different temperatures.  

There are different ways to "consume" God's Word. We can read it, listen to it, write it, and discuss it.

Psalm 19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, REFRESHING the soul.

God's Word truly is amazing and life giving. Just as water is essential to physical health, our spirit and soul cannot live without the Living Water.

Jennifer loves being a homeschool mom to her two teenagers. She also works part time as a social worker. She enjoys spending time with her family, and writing. She hopes to one day write a children's book.

Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash