Have you ever been thirsty? Silly question, huh? Of course, we have all been thirsty! There's nothing I enjoy more than a big ole glass of ice water after I've come in from a run! It does something for me that nothing else can do at that particular moment! Sure, a cool fan in front of my face feels really good........but that ice water does something for me that the fan cannot! You see, the water cools me from the inside out. The fan is only external! Are you seeing the spiritual connection I'm making here? We can do so much to change our outward appearance. We want to do better, so we clean up the 'outward man'. We cut our hair, change our clothes, stop drinking, stop smoking, stop cursing.........but you see, that's all just temporary, that's all just external. BUT....if we get a drink of the Holy Spirit.........that changes us from the inside out!
Have you ever wondered why we need water to survive? Well, our bodies are made up of mostly water. Approximately 85% of your brain, 80% of your blood, and 70% of your muscle is water. Every cell in your body needs water to live. Water helps remove the dangerous toxins that your body takes in from the air you breathe, the food you eat, and the chemicals used in the various products you use on your hair and skin. Water also cushions your joints and carries oxygen and nutrients into all your cells, as well as regulates your body temperature. You need water to keep your metabolism working correctly. For this to happen, there is a certain level of water in each of our bodies that we need to maintain. If we don't keep that amount, our bodies will start to dehydrate. Water is vital to our livelihood!
Water is often used in the Bible as an example of the Holy Spirit. Just like water is vital to our physical bodies, Christ is vital to our spiritual bodies. I'm reminded of the story in John, chapter 4, of the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus was at the well when she came to it, and he asked for a drink. She could not understand why a Jew would ask this of a Samaritan, because they had no dealings with each other. Verse 10 says, "Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would hav given thee living water." He goes on in verses 13 and 14 to say, "Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosover 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."
This physical body takes in water and it tastes so good, and makes us feel so much better....but, go to work again, start sweating again......what happens? We get thirsty all over again! The 'fix' is only temporary, we have to find more water to quench our thirst! I'm so glad that Christ gladly took my place on the cross and shed his blood for me, that as a 7 year old little girl, I gladly asked Him into my heart..........and now the 'well of water' dwells within me that gives me everlasting life! Thank you, Jesus!!!
But wait..........the title is called 'spiritual dehydration', isn't it? If I have the 'well of water springing up into everlasting life' within me, then how can I get spiritually dehydrated, right? Yes, I believe in eternal salvation, John 3:16 tells me that, but we can drift away from where we should be on our spiritual walk. It doesn't mean we are 'lost' again, or that the well has dried up within us, it simply means we have gone astray.........we have backslidden. And while I am at it....let me say, this is a DAILY battle that we must face, physically and spiritually!
If we withhold water for a day from our physical body, we will start to see some physical signs of dehydration. It starts slow, and for a while people will not be able to notice, but keep withholding the water, and everyone will eventually know! Your blood pressure will start dropping, blood clots may form, your kidney function will be impaired, your skin starts to dry, you head begins to hurt......just to name a few...........without intervention, you will die!
If we withhold 'spiritual' water for a day, you will start seeing 'spiritual' changes in us as well! What is 'spiritual' water, you ask..........it's daily reading the Bible and daily prayers! At first, no one can see a difference, but given time without it, they will! You get 'cold'. You begin to see everything in a critical spirit. Those things that were sinful to you, begin to not look so bad. You begin to find excuses for staying home instead of being at church. Before long, you are completely out of fellowship with Christ and right where the devil wants you......spiritually dehydrated..........and if you don't change things.......you will spiritually die!
What can we do about it? Well, when that first sign of thirst hits us.....what do we do? We go to the nearest sink and pour us a glass of water. As we drink it, to anyone else's eye, we look the same, they can't see any difference. But we can feel it can't we? I come in all hot and sweaty from running, and to feel that cool wetness go over my tongue and down my parched throat, and into my stomach........it makes a difference in me! My family can't see it, but I sure can! Before long though, my family begins to see that I'm not sweating anymore, my face isn't as red, and I'm not panting like I was before! Same thing spiritually! We start our day off in God's Word and in prayer. No one can see any 'difference' in us. But hold on, let the troubles and trials of this world hit us........and it will definitely show if we've been in contact with God, won't it?
God, please help me to realize just how much more the importance of spiritual hydration is for me, even more than physical hydration. Keep me close to that wonderful fountain that you placed in my soul on February 27, 1977. Help me to stay sensitive to your guidance, that when I feel the tug of spiritual thirst, that I can quickly restore my soul through, You, Oh, Lord. Thank you for sharing your Word with us, and giving us your Holy Spirit!
'There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuael's veins. And sinners plunge beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains! Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains....and sinners plunge beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains!!"
