Stay Thirsty My Friends

I love to drink.

How many of you read that line and for a second thought I had become a “sipping saint”?

Or, “Brazil drove him to drinking.”

No, I do not “drink.” But I do know that if it was not for Jesus, I would be an alcoholic. By the grace of God I am not a “drinker”.

However, I do love consuming liquid refreshments. It started with Kool-Aid and iced tea as a kid. In fact, I liked iced tea so much my mom once gifted me an iced tea maker.

Cue the “you might be a redneck” jokes.

My affinity for flavored liquid graduated to Dr. Pepper, earned a bachelor’s in energy drinks, and is now attempting a master’s in coffee.

I just like to drink.

Everything except water.

Anything But Water

Among my many problems with drinking—and alcohol never being one of them (thank God)—is that I often choose anything over water.

Why? Because of water’s biggest flaw: it tastes like water.

The problem with the 2,500 drink options available in your local supermarket is that most of them taste better than water. I literally counted the rows of drinks in my preferred grocery store here in Joinville: 3 double-sided aisles of non-water drinks (soda, juice, etc.), 3 double-sided aisles of beer, and another entire section solely for wine.

Water had one aisle.

Looks like I’m not the only one who prefers anything but water.

The Last Drop

Do you know what is the worst part of a drink? The last sip. That last drop is depressing.

It’s the oposite of food. Most people live for the last bite of food. At least I do—I plan the last bite as I eat.

But when it comes to drinking, I live for the first sip and the second-to-last sip. I hate the last sip. It is like Rocky V. If you’ve seen it, you know. If you haven’t, don’t. Pretend it never existed.

It is a bittersweet moment for me. Although I don’t want to give that last sip to anyone else, it still feels like a letdown.

I wish I could go on drinking forever, and remain unsatisfied forever. I don’t want to have enough. I enjoy wanting more and having more.

Now you see why I said if it wasn’t for Jesus I’d be an alcoholic.

Why Water

The problem with not drinking enough water is you get dehydrated. You may not cramp up or feel pain, but it causes fatigue, lowers your immune system, and even impairs your brain. Yes, not drinking enough water will make you dumber.

And then we normalize those symptoms. (Now isn’t that dumb?)

You’ve heard the data: your body is 70–80% water. But did you know your brain is 80% water?

Your body and brain do better when you give them enough water.

In spite of all our impressive technologies, additives, and flavors, we have not replaced our need for water.

Nothing can replace water.

Plain, boring water.

Jesus = Water

Jesus is known as the Living Water. Not exactly an epic nickname for the man who was God in the flesh—King of Kings definitely hits harder.

But when you understand that without water you’d be a lifeless raisin, you realize how critical that title is.

We are spiritual beings, made in the image of God. The spirit-life that we are requires the Spirit-life that God is. Without His Spirit, which is life, we’d be spiritually dry and shriveled up.

Remaining in good relationship with Jesus is like drinking water—it gives us life. It promotes spiritual strength, emotional flexibility, clear thinking, and strong resistance to temptation.

Another thing about this Living Water: it never runs out. Jesus told a tired, thirsty woman, “Whoever drinks of Me will never thirst again.”

That means He has no last drop. He’s an ever-flowing fountain—better than unlimited soda refills, because eventually you’ve had your fill of deliciously poisonous high-fructose corn syrup.

But you never have enough of pure Jesus.

And there is no end to Him. I remember when I first went out to pastor a church. The reality of having to preach a new message from the same book for the rest of my life felt daunting. But God spoke to me: “I am like an ocean, and you are merely washing your hands in the sink.”

“Darn,” I thought, “and here I was thinking I was at least in the kiddie pool.”

You will never drink the last drop of God and find yourself thirsty with nothing to satisfy.

As Southerners say when a hurricane is coming, “I can’t drink all that water.”

You will never reach the last drop of His presence, knowledge, or the value and utility of relationship with Him. He is the eternal fountain. He can bring something from nothing or multiply the little you have because He is The Source.

If He were to end, everything would end.

That’s why He also calls Himself the Beginning and the End, Alpha and Omega.

None Better

Here’s another thing about Jesus—He’s not full of hype and synthetic man-made enhancements. Many drinks “improve” water, but they fall short. They may taste better or give you a temporary buzz, but they can’t do what water can.

If we neglect simple, unimpressive connection with Jesus for more exciting and sensational substitutes, we will suffer.

And then we’ll normalize the suffering.

Because we’re dumb, I mean, distracted and deceived.

So What Should We Do?

Read your Bible. Your Bible. Make it yours. Read it daily—and more than 3 verses.

Pray. Spend time talking to God about your life, the world, your friends and family, your plans, His promises.

How much time is necessary? Probably more than you think—just like the amount of water you need to drink each day.

When should you do this? Considering you wake up dehydrated after hours without water, morning is a great time to spiritually hydrate as well.

And then wash it down with a nice cup of coffee…or two.

Cheers!