THIRSTY CYCLES

Jesus once had a conversation with a woman at a well.  As everyone had to do, this woman had repeatedly come to draw water from the well.  Jesus told her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.” (John 4:13-14)  The next part of the conversation turned to this woman’s life, and how she’d had five husbands, and was now living with another man.  It became apparent that this woman had repeatedly looked for love, been satisfied for a while, and then found herself longing again.  She was caught in a disappointing cycle.  It was just like drinking the water from the well.

Until recently I had not understood what Jesus offered to this woman.  He offered her something that would break the cycle.  He offered water that would end thirst.  He told her, “If you had what I’m giving out, you would be free of your destructive love cycle - you would be satisfied.”  When we understand that, I believe there are two questions that follow.

1)  What “thirsty cycles” are in my life?  What are the things I keep chasing after, yet even when I get them, leave me empty later?  Achievement?  Consumerism?  Love?  Religion?

2)  It sounds really nice that Jesus gives something that will break the cycle, but what is it, and how exactly does it work?  Is Jesus’ gift going to help me with today’s issues?

To be honest, I don’t know if I fully understand the answer to the second question, and I would love to hear your thoughts.  In short, I believe the answer to the question is grace.  It’s really at the cross that Jesus gave us something that will “well up to eternal life.”  Because of his death we have forgiveness for all the cycles we’re caught in, and we have the promise of eternal life.  There is lasting satisfaction in Jesus’ love, sacrifice, value, forgiveness and promised future.  And I believe it’s that satisfaction that will begin to well up in us, break the “thirsty cycles” we’re in, and start overflowing into other lives until we reach heaven and find a new meaning to the word quenched.

- Pastor Luke