Hydrate

Water is vital to our survival. It is a medical fact that we need to drink water to live. Without water, we experience dehydration. Dehydration can be fatal and the only cure is rehydration. This tends to happen frequently in the Summer, like where I am now in the United States. The heat of the summer months can be extremely dangerous because it causes our bodies to lose water faster. If we do not replenish with an appropriate amount, our bodies will tell us.

But that's not all. It's no surprise we need water because our bodies are mostly made up of the element. Furthermore, most of our planet's surface is covered in water. We also use water to cook and make meals. The rain and ground water gives life to our plants, which creates the oxygen we need to breathe. Water gives life. Period.

It's no wonder Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, identified as the Living Water.

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On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:37-38)

Zechariah had talked about living water flowing from Jerusalem (ref. Zech. 14:8), King David wrote about being thirsty for God (ref. Psalm 63:1), and Ezekiel had a vision of water flowing from the temple and creating an oasis of life (ref. Ezekiel 47:1-12). The Word of God is full of references connecting God, water, and life. It is clear to me that God wants us to easily understand how important a relationship with Him is to our salvation.

Is Jesus going to hand you a bottle of water that magically grants life? I'm 99% sure that's not what He means. Rather, much like we hydrate our bodies by drinking water, we must also hydrate our spirit with the Word of God. That is why when I wake up in the morning, I do two things: 1) I take a sip of water or finish the glass I took to bed. My mouth is usually dry. 2) Next, I talk to God. It's not always super formal and most of the time it is something as simple as, "Praise God, thank you for this new day." But if I'm being honest, I should probably do those two things in reverse! It is easy to want to take our of bodies' needs first. However, we should be prioritizing taking care of our spirit.

Like I mentioned earlier, dehydration can be fatal, especially in the Summer months. So thinking from an eternal perspective - if we believe that one day we will leave earth and spend eternity somewhere else (heaven or hell), shouldn't we be taking extra care of our spirit during spiritual heatwaves?

I'll share what I mean by that. To me, a spiritual heatwave would be one where we find ourselves faced with significant challenges, decisions, and above-standard responsibilities. Maybe you have found yourself unemployed unexpectedly or you are facing the reality of taking care of aging family members. It is time to double down on spiritual hydration. Times like these can offer us a ton of excuses for why we have not had time to be with God, but the hard truth is these are the times where we need Him more than ever.

Here's a helpful hint that I've learned from experience. I like to carry extra water with me at all times (I'll walk into a restaurant with a water bottle of my own and then I'll order a glass of their water). The philosophy is simple - if you are well-hydrated even before a heatwave, then there is a good chance you will remain hydrated through one. So in the same way, I think it is important we take Christ with us everywhere so we can stay spiritually filled with the Living Water and be able to stand firm in faith during difficult times.

Brothers and sisters, it comes down to this. We cannot expect to take sips of water on Sunday and expect it to last through the whole week. Would your body make it? Then how can you expect your spirit to make it?

Let that reality sink in.