On the last day, the great day of the festival, Jesus stood and cried out: 'Let anyone who is thirsty come to me! Let anyone who believes in me come and drink! As scripture says, "From his heart shall flow streams of living water."
When was the last time you were TRULY parched? Thankfully, most of us probably haven't experienced the swollen tongue, addled brain and bodily failure of severe dehydration. However, being thirsty is something we recognize. Usually it is a condition that can be easily remediated. We have learned to conserve water as a precious commodity...but most of the time if we want to splash ourselves with water or gulp down ounce after ounce of its refreshment we can do so almost instantaneously. We generally can assume that there is a source withing easy access.
I gaze at Julie Ann Scott's painting titled "Free from Fear". I contemplate the streams of water reaching towards what appears to be parched land. As my prayer draws me closer God's heart, living water meets me in my dry places...and quenches the fear of my inner aridness. Aaaaaaahhhh.
And what about oxygen? If you have experienced shortness of breath or having the wind knocked out of you, you know how quickly the body can be debilitated without clear air flow. Yet, how often do you "think" about breathing...another essential function, one that from birth until death is usually occuring without effort or even intention on our part.
As I pray this morning I savor the refreshment of the living, flowing water that saturates every pore of my soul. I draw in the breath of God, inhaling the essential nutrients of love, peace, connection to unshakable solidarity. How could I not? Why would I not?
When life threatens to squeeze out time set aside for this prayerful rest in God, I am reminded that Pamela, child of God, will be parched and breathless....unable to function. I will become one of the walking dead without His living water and essential breath.
Thank you, Holy One, for crying out to me to come and drink ....and for being with me even when I fail to accept your invitation.
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