“Drinking Jesus”. OK, I know that sounds weird, but I am not the first to say it. Jesus actually said it first, “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).
“Come to Me and drink…”
Drink what? His words, His Spirit, His life! Jesus said, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). I believe that the “waters of life” are the active pouring out of God over us– in His words, His Spirit and His Life. He washes over us with His words as He speaks to us, in us, and for us; we drink, and He gives life. His Spirit regenerates and renews us, making all that Jesus has done and provided ours in experiential fashion. It’s no longer an idea, it’s a person. It’s Jesus Christ!
Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water” (John 4:10). She continued in conversation with Jesus, and through honest discovery of her life to this point and a bit of religious discussion, the Samaritan woman came into faith! She drank Jesus! Immediately, she left her water pot and went and told everyone, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” (John 4:29). From being one who carried judgment and reproach to becoming a bold, elated evangelist leading the city to Christ, this woman drank Jesus. She grasped, consumed and received His words, His Spirit and His life.
Drink freely of the waters of life…
I could teach this over, and over, and over again! From John 4, 7 and 20; to Acts 2, 4, and 10; and on to Revelation 1, 7 and 22—over, and over, and over again, the waters of life issue forth. COME! “And the Spirit and the bride say, ’Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take of the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). Come! Drink of the waters of life freely. Drink Jesus. Drink of His words, His Spirit and His life. Experience His forgiveness, His power, and His love.
This coming Sunday, May 12th, I will share a message the Lord gave me eleven months ago for this year’s Mother’s Day. A message of hope, healing, and freedom. A message of Jesus and drinking His words, His Spirit and His life. I could not have planned a more perfect moment to bring the message forward– but God!
Drink Jesus…
I want to encourage all of us to sit at Jesus’ feet and hear His words. Let Him wash over us with the water of His Word as He pours Himself over us, in us, and around us.
Share your story with Him: your hopes, disappointments, promises and problems. Honestly, completely, unreservedly. Honest hearts never go unrewarded. Not a blame game or making excuses, simply engage honest conversation with Jesus, your Resurrection and your Life. Listen for His words. Let them wash over you and into you; let them touch everything. Wherever the waters of life go, whatever they touch, LIVES.
In two weeks, we will resume our Acts of the Apostles series, beginning in Acts 2 again. We will come together having drank freely of Jesus, our Water of Life. Together, we will wait. Together, we will receive Acts 2 in one place and in one accord. Holy Spirit will come, Jesus will be glorified, and we will be activated in salvation and His fullness.
Meanwhile, I encourage you to set aside extra, intentional time to pray. Meditate His words; have conversations; listen for His still small voice, His feelings, His movement, sounds, and images. Engage, encounter, allow Him to make the exchanges. Never have we had a moment like this before.
Be expectant, drink freely. He is coming.
