SPIRITUAL DEHYDRATION

Whosoever drinketh of this water shall
thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of
the water that I shall give him shall
never thirst: but the water that I shall give
him shall be in him a well of water springing
up into everlasting life.
John 4:13

My husband and I were driving through a special mountain area and came to a trail we had hiked in the past and decided to hike the trail. We hadn't made preparations for this hike ahead of time...it was just a spur of the moment thing. The trail took us one mile UP to a cabin area. The UP part was rather steep and tiresome. We knew the trip down would be easier. Brian was wearing good shoes for hiking, but I was only in my moccasins...they were comfortable. I would find later that they weren't comfortable for a hike. Not only that, we had no bottles of water with us.

Hiking up to the cabin was about the most exhausting trek I had been on in a very long time. We took extra time to sit on the porch of the cabin and enjoyed the view and aromas that are present in such a setting. We headed back down the trail and I became so exhausted, I could hardly put one foot in front of the other, even going downhill. I knew immediately that I HAD to have water or I would probably pass out before we could get to the car. Fortunately, there was a beautiful, clear stream bouncing off of rocks...cool and clear...that I was able to drink from. I can hear you now, “You shouldn't do that.” I agree and would never recommend it unless you felt like I did at that time.

Our bodies will give us signals when we are depriving it of fluids. People have died from dehydration. Dehydration basically is when the human body doesn't have enough fluid to keep it functioning. It means that there is more water loss than water intake. At first, ones mouth or throat becomes uncomfortably dry so we simply get something to drink. If there is no water intake, we can be uncomfortable in general, headache may set in and even confusion can result. Death can eventually occur even in a matter of days if the human body is not hydrated. Dieters take water pills to help with losing weight. Not only is the body deprived of essential fluids in that process, but also of essential minerals. So under different circumstances, the body can be robbed of more than just fluids.

The Word of God speaks a lot about water. It speaks of the physical need of water. While in the wilderness, the Israelites found themselves without water. I would think that nothing could make people angrier than being in the middle of a desert area...hot and dry...having run out of water. Their approach to Moses was less than cordial and they demanded that Moses do something about the situation. Moses went to God for a solution and we read God's answer to the situation.

Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. Ex. 17:6

In this time of desperate need for something as simple as water, God met that need. God still meets the physical needs of His people. He may not always provide our needs in usual ways. Who could have thought...water from a rock...but our God is full of love, compassion and surprises.

One of the most memorized portions of Scripture by many Christians is Psalm 23. It gives us so many sweet assurances regarding our Good Shepherd and how He wants to function in
in our lives. In verse 2, we read:

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

This is one of the most calming and reassuring verses we can find in Scripture. We see two things our Good Shepherd wants to do for us. Here we may move abit from physical water to a restful and secure place. I know of times God has “made” me to lie down. He will do that when we refuse to lay down and rest in Him. He has ways of getting our attention. Sheep won't drink from turbulent or dirty water and by the way, He doesn't want you or me to have to drink from that kind of spiritual water, the water of the world that can contaminate and infect us. He wants us to drink from the fresh, pure water of His Word. God knows what can happen to us when we get away from Him. Again:

For my people have committed two evils, they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. Jeremiah 2:13

Later in Israel's history, two unfortunate things happened and they were things of the people's own doing in that time of sin and turmoil. God's people would be and eventually were judged, found guilty and sent into exile for their sin. They turned their back on God, the provider of living waters....the very Fountain, Himself. They then compounded their sin by digging out cisterns, most being very fragile to hold whatever water they could catch from any source. That wouldn't even be water that would be usable. We too make choices. When we turn from the living God, we are bound to make follow-up choices that don't honor God and that can lead us in a downward spiral.

Jesus spoke with such encouragement to folks when He spoke of the last day and the great feast we Christians anticipate. In the meantime, Jesus gave a sweet assurance of His continual supply of spiritual water, as much as we want of it. We can have that spiritual water of His to the point that it will just overflow from our lives. It's not a water we can get from a stream or a faucet. This is available to those who have accepted Him as Savior.

If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. John 7:37

A final promise from God and His Word looking to future days of which you and I are now a part:

And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones, and thou fat thy bones, and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. Isaiah 58:11

May it be so...come Lord Jesus!