The water is sitting there in front of him. Why not drink it? The water is pure, abundant and free, but since he does not know he is thirsty, he does not drink. Life is a circus. Everything is fine. He can make it on his own.

But sometimes it’s confusing, sometimes sad. Some of the pieces of life don’t fit together the way he imagined they would. “The water does look good, but aren’t there a lot of other easier, more enticing ways to quench my thirst?”

Meanwhile, the cross is becoming visible in the background, but no one notices. “Come, all who are thirsty, come to the waters, and you who have no money, come… Come to me and your soul will delight in the richest of fare (Isaiah 55:1,2)

 

 

The inward look begins to reveal a deep thirst for meaning, for true companionship, for purpose. Although the darkness is now apparent, there is a light, and it is coming from the Water. Jesus said, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.”

The light of the water is beautiful and enticing, but it is on the other side of a great chasm and there seems to be no way to bridge the gap.

“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.” (John 7:37)

The beauty of authentic love is that love doesn’t wait for us to cross the bridge, but comes to help us across. The Water comes crashing up in a wave to embrace him. “Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14)