Wednesday, January 27, 2010
John 4:13 "Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
OUR MESSIAH-KING: ANOINTED TO REFRESH THE THIRSTY
A recollection I have from my youth is traveling through an arid region of Washington State during a summer vacation. I remember driving with family on the interstate over the brow of a hill, where our eyes were treated to a remarkable sight. From the elevated vista we could see for miles. On the left side of the road everything looked brown. On the other side everything was painted beautiful shades of green. It didn't take long to discover the reason for the contrast. A few miles down the road we noticed there was no irrigation system in use on the brown side. On the green side there was an elaborate irrigation system spraying liberal streams of water. It was something I knew before, of course, but it was brought home that day in a graphic way: Vegetation - water = No life or growth. Vegetation + water = Lush growth and abundant fruitfulness.
It's a principle that holds true in the realm of the Spirit too. Without the water of the Gospel the heart of man would remain a wasteland--barren, brown, and ugly to the Lord. Parched and dead. The human heart has no ability within itself to cause the smallest shoot of faith to spring forth or to produce the littliest fruit of good works. Praise the God of grace that He sent our Messiah-King to our world to refresh our sin-parched hearts with the streams of His Gospel. Praise Him that He sends us His Spirit day by day in that same Gospel, transforming our hearts into a lovely garden, alive, green, beautiful, productive, adorned with fruits of righteousness, which bring glory to His name.
He shall come down like showers Upon the fruitful earth;
Love, joy, and hope, like flowers, Spring in His path to birth.
Before Him on the mountains Shall peace, the herald, go;
And righteousness in fountains, From hill to valley flow.
(Lutheran Service Book, 398:3)
