“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” (John 7:37-38).
In the classic movie The Wizard of Oz – the main character Dorothy meets a motley cast of misfits as she traverses down the yellow brick road on her way to Emerald City. One of the merry band is the Tin Man who on their first encounter looks like a metallic statue standing in the middle of the woods. A muffled high-pitched sound resonates from the body-like structure, as Dorothy and her newly found friend, the Scarecrow, inspect their discovery. A resemblance of a voice from within appears to be saying the words “Oiill Caaan” as the two locate an actual can of oil not too far away. A few squirts to the mouth and the joints, and the silver-plated being begins to speak and move. He says that he has been that way for ages, ever since one day when he was chopping down a tree and it began to rain. Now with the oil application – he has found new life.
Not so long ago, I experienced my own oil can story. I was engaged in the process of making homemade ice cream using an old motor contraption that has been in our family for many years. The apparatus has saved a lot of churning-by-hand and has produced hundreds of gallons of frozen delight for many special events. On this particular day, the freezer was not mixing well and I thought that I had perhaps misconnected something. So I disengaged the freezer from the motor and tried several other approaches, but I soon became discouraged. I was left to conclude that after many years of hard work, the old motor had just burned itself out. As a last-ditch effort, I grabbed a can of WD-40 and sprayed any visible moving part that I could find. Reluctantly, I plugged in the machine, and it began to purr like a baby kitten. All it needed was a few drops of oil, and like the Tin Man – it had also found new life.
One day, Jesus encountered a Samaritan woman by a well and asked her for a drink. She was surprised that this Jewish man would make such a request of her, for in that day Jews did not associate with Samaritans. She was even more shocked to learn that He knew everything about her and concluded that He must be a prophet. Jesus told her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water” (John 4:10). Seeing that she was perplexed, he further explained: “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14). Although she may have been naïve about many things, she gave indication that she had some awareness: “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us” (John 4:25). Then, He revealed Himself to her (John 4:26).
Jesus was offering the “living water” of eternal life that only the Holy Spirit gives. It is a continual source of life that indwells in the heart of all believers, and it’s always active and flowing. David understood this need when he spoke these words: “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1). The Tin Man, my family’s ice cream motor, and the Samaritan woman were all given the opportunity to experience new life. The main difference between the three is that Jesus was promising a healing with free flowing water that would never need replaced. Eventually the Tin Man and the motor are going to need oil again, and through time they will both end up in a state of disrepair. And therein lies the choice for each one of us. We can continue to drink from the world’s sources as we search for lasting spiritual fulfillment, and we will be sure to thirst again. But one drink from the “living water” that Jesus offers, and we’ll never be the same. Jesus told the Samaritan woman all she needed to do was ask. The Tin Man knew what He needed and made it known. We would do best to take their lead.
REFLECTION: What cultural restrictions do we face today that may keep us from talking with others about Christ? Do you know an individual who you think would not be interested in the gospel? How might you ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to bridge your reluctance to approach such a person?
A NEW LOOKUP DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., JANUARY 16, 2016. COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.