Dehydrated

But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.

John 4:14 (NLT)

In my college years, I used to go home for summer break and lifeguard at one of the city-run swimming pools. In fact, I worked at an inner-city pool. It was a great experience. I got to meet a lot of people I normally wouldn’t cross paths with. I got to observe and learn about cultures that were completely different than mine. And, I got to work on my tan all summer long!

But, in Fresno, California, the summer days easily top 100 degrees on a regular basis. Additionally, the pool was surrounded by concrete, and had virtually no shade whatsoever. It got hot – very, very hot. Luckily there was a pool to jump into when I began to overheat. But, it also meant I had to drink a lot of water. In fact, I would bring a gallon-sized thermos with me, loaded with ice water. I would not only drink it but would usually fill it up at least one more time and drink another gallon before my day at the pool was over.

However, there were a few days when I didn’t drink nearly enough. I’d get distracted, or even forget my thermos. Sometimes I didn’t finish drinking the first gallon, let alone the second. At first, my body didn’t really notice the difference. But, as I neared the end of my day, I felt sluggish, had a raging headache, and generally felt like garbage. I was woefully dehydrated. The impact on my body was clear. It wasn’t good. It wasn’t healthy.

This is the concept Jesus is trying to teach us in this verse. He is the “living water.”  We must be drinking Him in on a regular basis. In fact, we must drink in as much of Him as we can, at all times. By doing so, His Spirit hydrates our lives. We remain filled up, spiritually speaking, and our Christian lives function as they should.

When we neglect to drink Him in regularly, our spiritual lives begin to suffer, they become dehydrated. At first we don’t notice any real difference. But, eventually, our relationship with Jesus becomes sluggish. Our mind is clouded with selfish desires. Generally, our spiritual life turns into garbage. If we refuse to drink. We ultimately will die spiritually.

So, drink up! Study scripture. Pray. Serve. Teach. Preach. Love. Get hydrated!