Hydrating the Heart
“I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.” Psalm 143:6 (KJV, emphasis mine)
A few years ago, several men from my church and I went down to Hard Rock Stadium located in Miami Gardens Florida to watch a college football game between my alumni the Syracuse Orange and the 8th ranked Miami Hurricanes. After a brief shower the sun appeared and we were hammered by the humidity! The temperature was 85 degrees but it felt like 92 degrees! We had excellent seats but the sun gave us a beat-down. It was sweltering! I was sweating a mini-shower. A cold bottle of water was a great blessing to me as it was extremely refreshing and invigorating! As I reached out to receive the reward of my bottled refreshment it gave me power to pummel my thirst.
The bottom line is that the conditions of the heat required that I hydrate! This is because our bodies hinge on hydration to survive. All of our cells, tissues, and organs in our bodies need water in order to function properly. To illustrate, your body uses water to maintain its temperature, eliminate waste, and lubricate your joints. Water is essential for general good health. Likewise, spiritually speaking, it is essential for you to personally hydrate yourself with the Word of God.
Jesus, Who is the Word incarnate, said this to a woman dominated by a spiritual thirst that left her desperate for a drink of a relevant and real relationship.
“Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.” John 4:13-15 (KJV)
How does this apply to you personally? If we drink from the well of the world it will always leave us thirsty. It will never hydrate our hearts!
I leave you with five principles to promote spiritual hydration based on the word water.
WALK: We must walk in the ways of the Lord.
“And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” Isaiah 2:3 (KJV)
ABIDE: We must abide (rest) in the Lord.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” John 15:4 (KJV)
THINK: We must guard our minds by thinking in a manner that is honoring to the Lord.
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8 (KJV)
EXALT: We must choose to exalt the Lord in our lives.
“I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.” Psalm 138:2 (KJV)
REMEMBER: We must remember God’s commandments and obey them.
“My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments.” Proverbs 3:1 (KJV)
The world is a dry and thirsty wasteland dispersed with the dry carcasses of souls that are dead because of thirst. There is even a famine for the Word of God today as Church leaders give out Kool-Aide instead of hydrating water (Word of God) to their congregations. We must hydrate our hearts in order to not just stay healthy but holy!
For the Glory of God,
PBKSR