I recently came to realize something very startling about the liquids we consume and live on. Now, not all people like soda, but many do. And for those who really like soda, that’s all they’d really like to drink all day. To many people, myself included, water is a boring beverage. We don’t particularly “like” water. It has no flavor. Just bleh. We’d much rather have something that tastes good and tickles the nose. What is startling about all this is that we complain about having to drink water. Even though we are blessed in this country to have a plethora of clean water, it’s not what we want and so we don’t really drink it. We’re hooked on all the sweet, bubbly drinks that aren’t even good for us. All the while, many around the world do not have clean water. They would give anything to have some clean water for themselves and their families. They don’t even get the option to drink any sodas. We take water for granted over here. Our bodies are 70% water and we need water to survive but we don’t want it. In reality, we’re killing our bodies trying to survive off of man-made liquid junk. Instead of using the source that is so critical for our health, we’re exchanging it for fake wet stuff. The irony abounds.
Now think of our spiritual life. We need to see the source of life that our souls need. If we live in sin we will die. But God has given us the source we need to “survive” eternally. The Water of Life. Look at what Jesus did in John 4:5-14: So He came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as He was from His journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” (For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that You, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do You get that living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Also in Revelation 22:17 it is said: “The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” God, through Jesus our Christ, has provided us with the water of life. We have His Word which gives us the source of life. When we come to God and feed from His Word and receive the spiritual drink of water, we truly have life. We will one day have that true life in eternity with God in Heaven. We are to hunger and thirst for the ‘water’ God provides. We must long for it and drink it up. We can take this water of life for granted and ignore it just like we do with real water. It is right there provided for us. The source of life we need. But do we even drink it? Or are we consuming something else? Consider the following points.
First, there is the danger of living off of “coke” instead of water. Let’s say this represents sin. Coke does not give nourishment to the body. Rather it destroys it over time. If one chooses to live off of coke for the rest of their life, then they are only bringing death closer and closer. When one is not interested in the water of life that God offers and instead they want to live off of sin and worldliness, then they will be dead spiritually. The deception is that a person can “live” off of soda just fine for a long time and think everything’s ok. When really it’s not. Many think that they can live in sin because everything seems ok. Come judgment day, they will realize that everything is not ok.
Second, let’s liken “sprite” to everyday matters of life. There may be nothing wrong with having sprite as long as we drink more water. But the problem is that if we drink more and more sprite and not enough water, then we are also destroying our bodies. There is nothing wrong with everyday matters like work, recreation, hobbies, etc. But when the cares and pleasures of the world become more and more consumed than the life giving water of God, then over time we are killing ourselves. We cannot live off of sprite. We have to live off of the eternal life giving spring. Do we put God first? Is more of our time and attention given to other things than God? God must come first. He alone can give life.
Finally, consider the children. In our society, sodas and drinks like them are readily available to kids and the kids enjoy them. They think they’re fun and cool. But again, there is no physical nourishment. Kids cannot live off of soda either. They have to have water. Do they go through the day barely drinking water? If so, what is that doing to them? In like manner, worldliness and sin is readily available for our children. They’re growing up in a world full of “fun and cool” stuff that will draw them away from God. What are we giving them for their spiritual training and nourishment? If we only give the kids worldly nourishment, then they will turn out in an unhealthy spiritual life leading to death. Children have to have water as they grow. Our kids need to be given the water that God supplies. Parents are responsible for this. We feed them and take care of them. So what are we giving them?
God has provided us the water of life through His Son Jesus. Satan is providing the beverages of sin. Which are we consuming?
A Cord of Blue 