On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” – John 7:37-38
Recently I was listening to a song by Keith and Kristin Getty (we sing a number of their songs on Sunday mornings) called “Living Waters”. It prompted me to look up the scripture referenced in the song, and I was struck by a number of things in the verse.
The Bible records Jesus’ voice as having “cried out.” This makes me pause and think about Jesus’ desire for us to know what he is about to say. He understands our human condition and wants us to find our joy in him.
I also think about what it means to be thirsty. That day I was feeling pretty worn out, zapped, and realizing that I had been pushing too hard through life without looking to the place that I knew I would be refreshed.
“Come to me and drink.” Jesus directs us to himself. I am so quick to look elsewhere.
“Out of his heart…” Whose heart? The heart of “Whoever believes in me”. When we drink from the source of living waters, we can become part of the “fountain”, as Jesus’ life-giving spirit flows through us and affects others.
“As the scripture says…” Jesus is likely quoting Isaiah 12:3-4: “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” What a beautiful picture Isaiah wrote about thousands of years ago that we can now experience!