THE CHILDREN'S THIRST

I expect that you have read about Ishmael who, when quite a lad, was in danger of dying of thirst in the desert. He had drunk all the water from his flask. In his distress, however, he must have called out for mercy because God heard his voice in the very place where he lay. This is an encouragement to us to pray at all times. The boy's mother was shown a well of water which met the urgent need with plenty to spare. The well had apparently been just there all the time without their knowing it. This reminds us of another scripture which speaks of drinking with joy from the wells of salvation. It does not say how many such wells there are but in everything salvation is always close to us because "The Lord is near".

Some sailors nearing the coast of Brazil once found that they had no drinking water. They made a signal to another ship asking for some. To their surprise they were told to let down their buckets and they found fresh water! The great river Amazon sends its waters hundreds of miles out into the salt ocean so that the answer to their need was around them all the time. This is like the gospel for "every one whosoever, who shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be saved".

The water to quench the thirst of the Hebrew children in the wilderness came from a rock which was always ready for them to turn to. This rock was a sign, or type of the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ who satisfies the needs and longings of the soul of the believer. God once proved His people by leaving them for a time without water for their thirst. Moses was then told to strike the rock with his rod, when the waters gushed out. This is another type, teaching us that Jesus must be smitten and die so that we could be given the Holy Spirit.

Whosoever will may drink of the water of life freely. Have you asked for and received God's great Gift?

J.C.Evershed