I Thirst

“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).

With his last breath, Thomas Hobbes, the self-confessed atheist, said, “I am taking a fearful leap in the dark.” On his deathbed the French agnostic Voltaire sadly spoke these words: “I am abandoned by God and man! . . . I shall go to hell.”

In contrast to these two men, who died without Christ, is Christian evangelist Dwight L. Moody, whose last words were: “Is this dying? Why this is bliss. There is no valley. I have been within the gates. Earth is receding; heaven is opening; God is calling; I must go.”

For believers, the moment we take our last breath is the first moment we will draw in the heavenly air of our new home, our abode with the Lord Jesus Christ. To be out of earth’s atmosphere is to be in His holy presence.

We rarely think about the difference between life lived here on earth and the one we will have in heaven. Instead, we often focus on our temporary home, how we can make it larger, decorate it with our favorite things, and enjoy it.

At some point, our thinking must switch from being earthbound to heavenbound. The short time we spend on this earth is not even a fraction of the time we will spend in eternity. Jesus was accustomed to setting this vision for others to reach. He never missed an opportunity to prepare His followers for His death but, more importantly, He wanted them to understand His resurrection and future blessings that would be theirs.

Even Jesus’ last words, “I am thirsty” (John 19:28), remind us that nothing this world has to offer can satisfy our needs. Only Jesus has the ability to provide the living water that satisfies our souls.

Prayer: Lord, I realize that only You can satisfy my thirst. May I drink deeply of You through Your Word and prayer, drawing close to You by Your Spirit. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.