The Living Water

The rains were falling steadily all night, and as I saw a break this morning, I was drawn outside to witness the sparkling of the drops as they caressed the new growth on the peonies:

 

Have you ever been thirsty?

I am speaking about the kind of thirsting

where you feel so thirsty there is a fainting in your soul.

I have been in that land of thirsting,

and I have watched the shimmering waves

of heat baking the desert sands

as my parched soul 

looked up to Heaven

waiting

for even one cloud to form.

Many years ago, my family traveled and shared a drama in which I portrayed The Woman at the Well. Week after week, in many different settings, my lips spoke the cry of a woman so thirsty that she begged for a drink when the well was right before her. You see, Jesus had offered to her a different kind of water: a filling up for her soul's thirsting.

"Jesus answered, 'Everyone who drinks this water 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.'”

John 4:13-14 

As the weeks and the months passed, everytime I spoke those woman's words, a deeper longing was planted in my own heart. I didn't know it at the time, though. I thought I was being filled, as I gave out the words of Jesus, week after week.  

Ah, how does it happen?

How does a cry in our heart

become lodged so deep

that only another

longing

can answer in return?

I thought I knew how deep the well in my own heart was. I thought I felt the fullness of my Lord's Words when I shared His heart with those around me.  But I had only scratched the surface.  I offered my praise, and I offered my worship, and my Lord knew what was required to let me see my own unmet longing.

The desert of pain

And the heat of suffering

burned away the 

half-met longings

to uncover

the well where

full-hearted cries

could finally be uttered.

I have some very dear friends who continually pray for my healing. They wait in hope for the day that Jesus will restore movement to me, and a full remission in this place of pain. Where would I be without their sweet prayers of HOPE? And I do see improvement from the awful heat and swelling that began this journey of disease.

But there is a deeper healing 

in my soul

that I would never trade

even for just a day 

without physical pain.

For how can I tell

of the wondrous

filling

for my soul's 

thirsty well?

How can I sing

of my Savior's dear Presence

carrying my heart

to His bosom of rest

when the pain

overwhelms?

And How will I share

these dewdrops of love

poured down on my heart

when the desert sky

breaks

with the water

from Heaven?

Is your heart facing a desert sun today? Are you fainting as the heat of the day wastes your soul?  There is a filling that can happen for you too, my friend.  There is a place of stillness close to the heart of God where He calls you to come. It is His very Word spoken at the end of our drama, week after week. I longed for those words to be mine, years ago, but it took the pain of suffering to bring them home to my heart:

"The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let the one who hears say, 'Come!' Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life."

Revelation 22:17 NIV 

I am linking today with:

Suzie Eller, #LiveFreeThursday 

Debbie Kitterman, #TuneInThursday