Are You Thirsty?

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

Matthew 5:6

Albert Einstein is quoted to have said, “Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink.”

This was likely the situation of the sailors who floated in the ocean after an attack on their ship, the USS Indianapolis, during World War II. Of the 900 men who survived the attack, rescuers found only 316. Sadly, many of the men died in the water because they chose to drink it.

The salinity of seawater makes a person sick. These sailors knew it. They also knew that if they ingested enough, it would cause hallucinations, paranoia, and eventually death. Despite being aware of these possibilities, many of the sailors drank the seawater anyway. The intensity of their thirst drove them to search for anything that would quench it.

We can often feel like one of these sailors - thirsty and needy, without a way to meet our need. When we feel this way, we often search for relief in the wrong way. We scroll through the internet, watch television, keep too busy, eat too much, or engage in self-destructive behaviors as a way to find contentment and ease our need. It’s no surprise that we're left wanting. We're still thirsty. The satisfaction we seek feels elusive and unattainable. 

Yet, there is a way to satisfy the dry soul. There is the One who calls Himself the “Living Water.” The Lord promises to fulfill all our needs and satisfy us when we feel empty. The only requirement is that we come to Him. When we do, we’ll no longer feel like the sailor floating in undrinkable water. Instead, we will be like a "tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season" (Psalm 1:3).

So, are you thirsty today? How will you quench your thirst?