“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:38, ESV)
Did you know that 75% of Americans suffer from “chronic dehydration?” Most of us are unaware that our bodies aren’t receiving adequate water intake. Symptoms range from fatigue and dizziness to seizures and (in rare instances) death. Some reports claim that by the time we feel thirsty, our bodies have already begun to dehydrate!
There’s another type of dehydration that similarly can go unnoticed: spiritual dehydration. Symptoms include wilting faith in the heat of trials, droopy hope, and sagging passion for God. If we find ourselves lacking spiritual vitality, perhaps it’s time for a water level check! The Holy Spirit-living-water kind.
When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well he assured her that those who drink from him never thirst again. In fact, he said a spiritual artesian well would erupt! (John 4:14). The Holy Spirit within us provides a steady stream of life that keeps hearts from becoming dried out and hardened. There’s no “run-off” with living water.
I’m told that dehydration can be cured 100% by simply drinking more water. I suspect the same might be true in our understanding of spiritual hydration. For some of us, it’s time to start drinking in more Holy Spirit. Let’s get saturated in his presence. We’re told not to quench the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19). But let’s allow the Holy Spirit to quench our thirst. We don’t have to be living as dehydrated Christians. Actually, dehydrated Christians aren’t living at all….
So get your thirst on.
Thank you Father for the Holy Spirit who protects us from spiritual dehydration. Please continue to spring up within us that we might flow with life into a dry and barren land.
TAKE ACTION:
Be intentional today about hydrating your body and each time you take a sip of water, ask the Holy Spirit to refresh you as well.