The Bible Edge
Everyone needs an Edge, Believers can have the Bible Edge
John 7:37
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
The invitation still stands. If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. Focus on that small word “let.” It means more than permission, it means empowerment. Let him come unto me… There are many though that refuse this invitation, and there are also those who do the opposite. They hinder those who would come unto the Lord.
Some at this feast believed the Lord to be good, some believed Him to be a deceiver. John 7:12 And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people. Those who thought Him deceptive probably tried to keep others from Him. This is proven over and over again throughout the life of Christ. When the Lord said …let him come unto me… He was probably saying to those who would hinder others from coming to Him not to do so. The same thing happens today. For whatever reason some try to keep others from coming to Christ.
They may succeed. They may keep people from the Lord. But one thing they cannot do, never will be able to do. These hinderers cannot quench the thirst of those who are thirsty. For a time, they might, but not for long. For those who thirst will continue to thirst until their thirst is satisfied. The thirst for eternal life, for freedom from the power and bondage of sin, that life giving well of water bubbling up inside the soul giving refreshment and life can never be quenched by the trinkets or philosophy of the day.
Jesus said if any person thirsts Let him come unto me. To hinder these is a sin of the first degree.
But the individual too, has to “let” themselves come unto Him. Some can’t, they think their sin is too bad, or they are not good enough, or they don’t know enough about Him, or they have been warned by the hinderers (whom they believe more than they believe Christ and those who present Him to them). So, they can’t, or won’t. They will not “let” themselves come unto Him. Whether it be pride, stubbornness, embarrassment, or the old-fashioned pleasure of sin for a season. They choose not to come unto the Lord.
But if they thirst. It will never be quenched. Not on this earth, and not in eternity. However, Jesus invites these, repeatedly, to simply come unto me. They must “let” themselves do so. They must look past the hinderers, they must look past their logic, their sin, and their other hang-ups or excuses and simply come unto Him. If they do, now and forever, their thirst will be quenched. After all Jesus said clearly in John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
No doubt, the Lord can quench our thirst; but only if we “let” him.
William Howe, Ph.D.
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