Written By: Marnie Pouget
As the younger brother to two older sisters, it is typical to be surrounded by and participate in the “girl”side of childhood. Dolls, dress up and princess movies are par for the course. In our house the girls were quite taken with Polly Pocket and the first movie was on regular rotation through the DVD player. Little brother was captivated by the movie, also.
Polly and her friends are on the cutting edge of fashion and quite aware of the latest beauty tips which are shared liberally throughout the show.
During a last minute flight to a private island, Polly, hostess extraordinaire, provided her guests with a satchel filled with “everything a girl needs for the lengthy overseas plane ride: flavored lip gloss, ionized face mister, bottled water and moisturizer. Everyone who’s anyone knows the #1 rule of flying…”
My boy would join enthusiastically in chorus with Polly’s friends “Don’t dehydrate!” This was great advice from Polly and I used it copiously to insist that my children drink their water daily. It is well known that water makes up about 60-70% of your body’s composition. Drinking water provides numerous benefits like promoting clearer skin, helping the body flush out toxins and waste, regulating body temperature, lubricating joints, and carrying nutrients and oxygen to the cells.
According to the Mayo Clinic. “Every system in your body depends on water.”
“Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don’t have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.” I am sure we can all recall a time when we experienced that parched feeling. The dry, desperation for a drink that compels us to search for refreshment. We may not always recognize our thirst but it is real and satisfaction is necessary.
Water is crucial to a beautiful, healthy physical life. Living water is crucial to a beautiful, healthy spiritual life. As our physical bodies thirst, so our spirits thirst.
“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” Psalm 42:1-2a
We may not always recognize our spiritual thirst but it is real and satisfaction is not only necessary, it’s crucial. Unfortunately we can be led into seeking spiritual refreshment in the most unsatisfying places. Our search ends because we are feeling dissatisfied and discouraged and often we just settle for something less than satisfactory simply because we are weary. At other times, we find ourselves in a spiritual desert and we keep chasing after the mirage. That reflection of the sun on the sand deceives us to hope that we have found the oasis. Desperately desiring the quenching of our parched souls we press on in our futile attempts.
In response to the Samaritan woman’s questions “Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water (the water from the well) will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13- 14
“To him who is thirsty, I will give to drink, without cost, from the springs of the water of life.” Revelation 21:6
As with the Samaritan woman, Jesus offers us the spiritual cleansing and refreshing that comes from salvation through Him. We can choose to drink of the water he offers and never thirst again.
“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
In comparison to the desert the oasis is a lush and vibrant place of refuge. The word oasis is defined as “a fertile spot in a desert where water is found.”
When we dwell at the source of the living water, in communion with God, that refreshing living water will overflow from us. We will be an oasis. A fertile spot in a desert where water is found.
Until Next Time,
~Marnie
Uniquely Yours Ministries 