28 Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Jesus is on the far border of desperate need, at the end of the work God has for Him to do on that cross, such that His lips are cracked with thirst. But He moves over the edge of that vulnerable need and lets Himself fall in submission to the One who will catch Him.
I see God reminding me, I am thirsty, too. But, I’m hesitant to move to the limit of that thirst and beyond, to what feels like sheer helplessness. I sense God asking me to stop trying to manufacture strong pastoral and congregational identity and effectiveness, and to step into what feels like sheer weakness. Next week I will take each “voice” of doubt, discouragement, and defensiveness to God in prayer, releasing it there, bowing in submission to the only One who can quench my thirst.
Bill Azbell, Pastor
First Presbyterian Church – Concord
I hear God saying, ‘You are beyond thirsty, you are parched. Admit it. Stop chasing after what I alone can give you. Here it is, right here. Stop running away.’
I am a pretty shy person (I can hear those of you who know me saying, ‘No, really?’) and maybe that comes from being the senstitive type who wears his heart on his sleeve much of the time. And so I hesistate to lean in, I resist venturing too far out of my comfort zone. It’s safe in there, but the water is not good. It’s like a bad well in a desert, alkaline and undrinkable. I hear God calling me out of that desert place to somewhere where the water is good, and ever so slowly I am taking those steps.
The good thing is that my trust is pretty solid at this point. I know without a doubt whose voice I am hearing and who is holding the water for me to drink. It tastes pretty good so far.
“Next week I will take each “voice” of doubt, discouragement, and defensiveness to God in prayer, …” I like this application. I wonder as a “living sacrifice” if this is a way to “give up my spirit”? I think so. Thanks Bill
Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”
I immediately thought of the woman at the well. Jesus said, “if you drink of the water that I give you, you will never thirst again.”
I had a hunch, so I cross referenced to the crucifixion story in Matthew. Him saying “I am thirsty” came after he said “My God my God why have you forsaken me.”
This hit me hard. Jesus, the son of God becomes thirsty only when he was separated from constant daily/hourly connection and communication with his father.
And I think I’m not thirsty.
But how often do I take time to walk with and be in communion with God? How many things push that precious time onto the back burner?
This is for me a definite call for a closer more continual connection with my heavenly father. Nothing can replace God’s living water in my life. Now the hard part, is to live this.
“I see God reminding me, I am thirsty, too. But, I’m hesitant to move to the limit of that thirst and beyond, to what feels like sheer helplessness.” Thanks Bill – these are challenging words for me today. “Beyond thirsty” and “sheer helplessness” are right up there with being very last – a servant to all. I hear God urging me, welcoming me into “sheer helplessness.” Now that I think about it…Kairos!…I have been telling my husband how ineffective/sheer helplessness…I have been feeling in different areas of my life. Wow – I know just where to start. Thank you!
I`ve been at “thirsty” and “sheer helplessness” for what seems like far too long now, wondering where the hyssop branch is going to come from. Now that I think about it, though, it actually feels like I`ve been tasting vinegar for a while now, too…So, maybe what I need is to “bow my head and give up my spirit,” ya?
This week I will aim for that.