18th February 2022
Are you thirsty?
… Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
John 7:37-38 (NKJV)
What do ‘greetie’, ‘smirr’, ‘dreep’ and ‘drookit’ have in common? Well, they are Scottish words that describe the types of rainy days we sometimes have up here. My all-time favourite is ‘dreich’ which in one simple expression conveys how miserable, bleak, and gloomy the weather can be in Scotland, especially in the middle of winter. However, it is one of those words that is fun to say, if pronounced correctly of course!
It would be fair to say that we Scots don’t always see rain as the blessing it is, but we all agree that Scotland is a beautiful land, full of burns, rivers and lochs, the likes of which you rarely see elsewhere. Living surrounded by so much water makes it harder to understand just how precious water is, especially in parts of the world where it is scarce. We take for granted our seemingly limitless supply, and when we read in the Bible that Jesus cried, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink,” the full meaning can be difficult to grasp.
Of course, Jesus isn’t talking about physical water or physical thirst. Instead, he is talking about our spiritual life. We are born with a spiritual thirst even if we don’t recognise it for what it is. Often, we try to slake that thirst ourselves through work, possessions, and entertainment but they never truly satisfy. Taking a physical drink of water satisfies for a while but you always get thirsty again.
When we go to Jesus and recognise him as our Saviour, the Holy Spirit enters into us and quenches our spiritual thirst. We are offered salvation. At last, we are satisfied and feel complete. We become truly alive, and the Holy Spirit not only flows into us but flows through us to reach others. God provides us with everything we need and is the ‘living water’ that continues to give always.
Next time you pull back the curtains to see that it is raining outside, don’t be disheartened. Instead, thank God for his ‘rivers of living water’ that flow in and through us and look for someone to bless. Who knows it may turn out to be a leesome day (a lovely fair day, rare but bonnie)!
Prayer
Heavenly Father, all that is good comes from you and we thank you for the blessing of the Holy Spirit. Help us to respond to his lead, and let us share the good news with others so they too may know you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Study by Jackie Mill
About the writer:
Jackie Mill is a Minister in Grace Communion International and Regional Co-Pastor for Scotland and Ireland.
Local congregation:
GCI, Edinburgh
Gilmerton New Church
Ravenscroft Street
Edinburgh
EH17 8QJ
Meeting time:
Saturday 11:00am
Local congregational contact:
Peter Mill
Email: edinburgh@gracecom.church
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church