Drinking Deep
Today’s reading: John 7:31-53
On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!” - John 7:37
This is the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, where the Jews remembered their 40 years in wilderness. Each day during this festival, a priest took a golden pitcher and filled it with water from the Pool of Siloam. As he carried the water through the Water Gate, the people would recite Isaiah 12:3, “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” The priest would then pour it on the altar as a sacrifice. (William Barclay, The Gospel of John, Vol 1, page 290)
Jesus is making a statement (also referencing Isaiah 55:1).
He was the rock they drank from in the wilderness (1 Corinthians 10:4). He was paving the way for us to drink deep from the Holy Spirit (John 7:39).
May we drink deep today.
May we walk by the Spirit and not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
This is the water that quenches the deep thirst of our souls.