“But those who drink the water that I will give them will never become thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give them will become in them a spring that gushes up to eternal life.” —John 4:14 (GW)
Since the start of this year, we who live in the semi-arid region of the country have experienced very little moisture. Each morning from our breakfast nook, Dave and I have looked out at the dry, brown landscape behind our house, wondering when (if?) we would ever see green grass and underbrush again. We prayed constantly for rain or snow or sleet—any type of moisture was welcome. And, day after day, the moisture bypassed us, moving farther north and east, due to the jet stream's trajectory, ignoring the areas of the country most desperate for it.
Last week, at long last, imagine our joy—and that of all the ranchers, cattlemen, and other homeowners—when a soaking rain fell from the heavens...and the next day a lovely three-inch snow, with even more to come in the days that followed! So, for all the times we had prayed, asking God for moisture, we began to thank Him that much more for sending it our way, answering prayer.
In Jesus’ encountering with the Samaritan woman (drawing water at the well), He knew without a doubt she was yearning for water that would quench her spiritual thirst. She longed for something more than mere physical water. He saw into her heart, which was parched in the midst of a drought, and He had the answer: “a spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.” (The Message)
This Easter Season, among many other blessings, I want to remember my own desperate yearning for that "gushing fountain" as a young girl when I opened my heart to Christ’s answer. I also want to remember that the gift of suffering brings us to our knees...to Him. And to life eternal.
A most blessed Easter to my dear reader-friends!
Beverly Lewis
