FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Thirst Things First”

Ok, here’s a simple one: what’s your favorite drink?  Now, I didn’t ask what you drink the most, although that may be the same answer.  I want to know what your absolute favorite, tickle your tastebuds, what you thirst for drink is.  Take a second and share with your family.

For our family, there are only two answers.  There are times I feel bad for our guests, because most of the time they can choose milk or Dr. Pepper.  (Or water, which is what they usually go with.)  My husband and children go through 6-7 gallons of milk a week, while I’m trying to ween myself off of my Dr. Pepper addiction.  What is it about those 23 flavors that makes it so tantalizingly awesome??

Our house is the rarity, I think, because when it comes to drinks there are so many options out there.  Have you noticed?  Types, flavors, sizes, temperature, caffeine content—the combinations are endless.  And we seem to have a beverage for every purpose and occasion.  We have drinks to wake you up and drinks to help you sleep.  We have some specially designed to give you that burst of energy during the day and others carefully crafted to not give you energy when you don’t want it.  You can get a drink to help you bulk up muscle and something else to help you drop pounds.  You drink one thing when you’re exercising, another when you’re celebrating, and another when you’re felling sick.  We have drinks for summertime, wintertime, even fall.  (Is there a spring drink?  I couldn’t think of one, but maybe.)  

With all of those options, all of those differences, do you know what each one of them has in common?  Every single one of them will eventually fail.  By definition, beverages are meant to quench thirst.  They help us keep our bodies hydrated.  Yet every single drink on the planet has a limited ability to do that.  No matter what you drink, you’re going to have to drink again.  

Today we’re looking at the story from John 4, when Jesus talked with the woman at the well.  In the story, Jesus said He had living water that would mean she would never be thirsty again.  Can you imagine what must have been going through her head?  She must’ve been like, “For real?!”  How incredible would that be!!  To have a drink that meant you would never have to drink again!  (You can read the whole story in John 4:5-26.)

Of course, when Jesus told her that, He wasn’t talking about hydrating our bodies.  He was talking about the thirsting we get in our souls, when we feel like we want something to make us happy or to help us feel complete.  That’s a different kind of thirst—the kind that can only be quenched with Jesus.  When we have a relationship with Jesus, His living water flows in our hearts, and we realize those other things we used to want, those other things we used to thirst for just aren’t important anymore.  How fab is that??

Jesus told the woman at the well that He could fill her life with things that mattered.  He could fill her heart in a way no husband or friendship or toy ever could.  And the great thing is, He makes that exact same offer to you.  Jesus has a huge glass of living water just waiting for your heart.  And He’s got glasses for your family, your neighbors, your friends, your teammates, your coworkers—everybody you know.  All He asks is that we help Him pass out the drinks by sharing Jesus’ love with others.

Who can you share a Jesus-drink with?  Jesus talked with a woman most Jews thought was completely unworthy.  They would’ve treated their dogs better than they treated her, yet that’s who Jesus picked to tell about living water.  Who can you tell?  It may be the person you least expect who needs it the most.  Talk together with your family about who you want to share Jesus with.  Talk about ways you can share love together to show the full measure of His love for them.

End your time praying that God would bless your efforts and help you share what living water really is.