In need of water

           Well you just never know what a day will bring, do you?
           It all started off as a fairly ordinary Tuesday.  It had been a busy morning--getting one of our sons ready to leave on an overseas mission trip and then dropping him off at the airport.  Then rushed to a haircut.  Then zipped by good old Target.  Then, since my husband and another son were out of town for a golf tournament, the house would be still, and I arrived home happily anticipating the quiet hours ahead to get lots and lots of items crossed off on my to do list.  Yes sir, I ate some lunch, cleaned up, did some chores, and prepared to get busy as soon as I took a quick shower.
           Uh, except no water came out of the faucet.  I went to another bathroom--same thing.  Hmm.  I quickly discovered that we had no--as in NONE, NADA, ZIPPO--water in the house.  Suddenly I felt in even more dire need of a shower...and a glass of water...and what about that dirty laundry...and all the while, our  dog who never seemed to have enough water in his water bowl is glaring at me.
           I'll just cut to the chase here to explain that it turned out the city had CUT OFF OUR WATER.  Yes, we have never once missed a payment for our water bill.  And no, we did not get a notice of any kind.  Just bam--water cut off with no warning whatsoever.  Turns out, although we'd mailed the check, the city apparently never got it.  The solution, naturally, is not to contact you but to simply send a truck over to your house and CUT OFF YOUR WATER.  Seems like the nuclear option to me.  Please don't get the idea that I'm upset about it or anything.  Geez.
           Thankfully, we were able to reach the proper authorities and pay (for the second time, mind you) our bill over the phone, and then we learned the wonderful news that the city guaranteed the water would be cut back on by midnight...of the following day.  WHAT?!  That was mighty comforting.  All we'd have to do is have no water to drink, shower with, clean, and, ahem, flush the toilet, for another day and a half.  Oh my stars.  Thankfully, Bingley had no idea how desperate our plight was, but yours truly was feeling a wee bit panicked...and in need of a shower...and thirsty.
          While my mind raced and plotted about what we should do and where we should go, I heard a sound and looked out the window...and glory, glory, glory, it was one of the most beautiful sights I've beheld in quite a while--the city utilities truck had returned to cut our water back on!
           Voila, just like that, we were back in business!  We could shower, wash, drink, flush (sorry if that's too graphic!), and even water the half dead plants on our front porch! Such an abundance of wonderful water, water, water!
           I was so excited I exclaimed out loud "Praise  the Lord!"  And I meant it.  I don't think I've ever been so thankful for one of life's basic--but most vital--necessities.  Plain old, fabulous old, water.  Goodness, how often we take these truly great gifts for granted.
           And then I was immediately convicted as these verses came to mind--
           "As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God."  (Ps.41:1-2)
           I'd suddenly realized how badly we needed water and had been desperate to get it, but what about the far more vital and life-changing need for my Savior?  Do I pant after the Lord like that?  Do I thirst for His Word and His presence like that?  Am I desperate to spend time with Him?  Do I happily, daily go to Him to be washed by His Word and be satisfied and filled with His thirst-quenching, strength-giving, joy-filling presence?
          Or do I run after poor pale substitutes to temporarily quench my thirst?  Busyness.  Material possessions.  Achievements.  Pleasures.  Distractions.  So many substitutes and not a one of them ultimately fills the emptiness and quenches the thirst...
          ...except Jesus.  The Living Water.  No wonder He said, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.  The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:13-14)
          Thank You, Father, for reminding me.  Forgive me for so quickly forgetting and for failing to run to You.  You are our Living Water.  You are the One who saves us, satisfies us, strengthens us.  If we have You, we truly have all we need...and if we have everything single thing this world can ever offer, but we don't have You, then we ultimately have nothing.
           Today, if you're feeling dissatisfied or discouraged, if you're feeling empty or thirsty, can I ask you to run to the One who is the Living Water?  Take your thirst and your emptiness, your sadness and your need, to Him.  To Him "who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think..." (Eph.3:20)  To Him who is the Bread of Life.  To Him who is the Resurrection and the Life. To Him who is the Good Shepherd.  To Him who is the Vine.  To Him who is the Door.  To Him who is the Light of the World.  To Him who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
           He has all you need, and in Him, you have all.  Might we thirst for Him this day and every day and run to the Living Water to be filled and refilled, redeemed and revived, refreshed and renewed.  Thank You, Jesus, thank You.
           To God be the glory.