Revelation 21:6, 7

“To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”

Here is a spring that is only for those who can not live without its water.  We read of it in the prophecies of Isaiah, many years ago.  “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; you who have no money, come, buy and eat.  Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.”  Isaiah 55:1  The cost has been paid for us by the mercy of God and the sacrificial death of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. That is why it is absolutely free.  It cost God dearly so it can be free for us. Just take it!

This is one of my favorite promises of God.  Let me try to explain.  It assumes that I am thirsty, desperately thirsty, not just for a bit of refreshment but because I am at my wits end, as though I am alone in the hot, dry desert, well aware of my peril if I can not find water to drink, not to assuage my thirst only but to sustain my life.  In other words, I will have little desire for this eternal water if I am drinking of the waters of my culture that non-believers seek after and gulp with delight – only to get parched and thirsty again – a desperate cycle, never-ending because only the water of life that flows from the atoning work of Jesus can truly satisfy the thirsty soul.

What water can the Greek/Roman culture provide the seven persecuted churches in central Turkey?  Sports arenas where gladiators kill one another?  Military victories that exalt the pride of arms?  Philosophies of myth and legend that exist only in the imagination?  Wealth abstracted from the unfortunate conquered? We could go on and on.

There is nothing in the loftiest Platonic philosophy or Roman might and myth that can satisfy the thirsty human heart.  All those springs ultimately dry up or become poisoned. How like our own situation today!

I find it marvelous that God offers this water of life to the truly thirsty ones. They know that all the promises of how good the “sweetened waters,” are, are not at all true. The Spirit of the Lord now actually appeals to those who wish to turn away from all harmful waters to drink “from the spring of the water of life.” v 6

In another image of God’s grace, we see the stream coming from the crucified Christ’s heart – blood and water gushed out – for the salvation and thirst-quenching of all mankind.

The spring flows, and it is open. Kneel, drink and live, forever and ever.  Amen.