1360. A Call to Drink

A Call to Drink

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters" (Isa_55:1).

1. The call to come and drink, is made to every thirsty soul. 'Mid the crowds who thronged the streets of Jerusalem, there were some with hearts athirst. To them Christ made His appeal.

In the Laodicean Church there were many who said, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing" (Rev_3:17). To them Christ had no appeal. Yet, to the Laodicean thirsty, He said: "If any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me" (Rev_3:20).

When Christ came to the pool of Bethesda, the sick and the impotent were all about Him, but only one received His aid. Christ said to this one: "Wilt thou be made whole?" And he said, "I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool" (Joh_5:6-7). This showed the yearning of his heart.

In the days of Naaman the Syrian, there were many lepers, but only Naaman was healed.

It is only the thirsty and the hungry to whom the call is given, "Let him come and drink."

2. The call to come and drink is made to him who believeth. Somehow or other we would like to change the punctuation of the verse, and let it read, "If any man thirst let him come unto Me and drink, he that believeth in Me" (see Joh_7:37-38). It seems to us that the Lord Jesus Christ realized fully that the masses believed Him not. Indeed, He said: "Ye believe not that I am He."

The children of Israel entered not in, because of unbelief.

Christ did no mighty works in Nazareth, because of unbelief.

To the woman of Samaria Christ said, "If thou knewest the gift of God, * * thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee Living Water" (Joh_4:10). This woman did ask; she drank, and she was satisfied. Why? Because she came to believe in Him. And, not only she believed, but "many of the Samaritans of that city believed on Him for the saying of the woman" (Joh_4:39).

The blessings of God come to us only through faith, let us reiterate the two steps we have noted.

First, thirst; secondly, faith.

First, a sense of need; secondly, the faith that satisfies.

First, I want Him; secondly, I do by faith receive Him.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR