Jesus said in John 19: 28, “I am thirsty”. Jesus said this on the cross at the point of death. Primarily, Jesus’ thirst was not physical thirst as the bystanders thought, but a spiritual thirst for righteousness. This was very consistent with his teachings. Jesus said in Matthew 5: 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Even at the point of his death, Jesus never gave up on his call for righteousness from the world of sin.
Christ Jesus spoke in parables
Jesus always spoke in parables and on most occasions, he was misunderstood. In Luke 18: 32-34, Jesus spoke about his death and how he would suffer at the hands of the Pharisees. When the people failed to understand, Luke 18: 34 said, but they understood nothing about all these things; in fact, what he said was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what he said.
Jesus also meant that he deserved some justice as all people do from people of conscience as his accusers claimed to have. Philip in explaining the scripture to an Ethiopian eunuch on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza quoted a prophecy in Isaiah 53: 7-12 and said in Acts 8: 32-33, “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. In humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life was taken away from the earth.” The cessation of the prophesied denial of justice was the thirst which Jesus asked for.
Each and every act of sin, wickedness, injustice and failure to repent make the Lord Jesus Christ thirst for righteousness. We then render his death and sacrifice for us meaningless. Jesus says to us today, he is thirsty. Are we also going to deliberately misconceive what he is asking for? The lifeline of a child of God is righteousness hence the lack of it drains the life in the soul towards divine extinction in death.
The apparent contradict by Jesus
If in truth Jesus provided living water, how could he then be thirsty? Jesus said in John 6: 35, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” The promisor of eternal water cannot be thirsty as the bystanders opined. Jesus was very consistent and not contradictory with his words. Our righteousness in Christ Jesus will quench our spiritual thirst in Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit.
God said in Revelation 21: 6 said, “… To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Righteousness is a gift of God upon repentance. That gift gives eternal life with satisfaction drawn from the eternal God of mercy and love. It is a gift because we do not attain it by works but by grace. Paul said in Ephesians 2: 8 for by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. God the donor of eternal springs of water can quench our thirst if we submit to him in righteousness.
Of what purpose is living water?
Jesus said in John 4: 13-15, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” Physical water does not quench thirst eternally but meant for only our perishable mortal bodies. However, spiritual water is meant for the soul and refreshes eternally having its source from the eternal Lord God Almighty. So, Jesus’ reference was spiritual water, not physical water.
Only Christ Jesus gives relief from spiritual thirst. He said in John 7: 37-38, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.” Those thirsty of righteousness must turn to Jesus Christ. When righteousness takes a seat in a believer’s heart, he or she connects with God and eternal life flows from God into that heart with the freshness of life for God’s work, glory and honour.
Christ Jesus is thirsty
Our Lord Jesus Christ is still thirsty. He is asking us today whether or not we will give him the water of righteousness or the vinegar of evil to quench his thirst? Revelation 22: 17 says, “Come.” And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift. It is God’s free invitation to us before the final day comes. We need to free our restless souls from eternal bondage and the chains that hold us from doing right and good. This is the hour of repentance. Christ Jesus is thirsty of our righteousness, he needs not cry for it any longer. Let us make up our minds now.
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, you continue to remind us to embrace righteousness out of your unfailing love and faithfulness. We are sorry for making you thirsty and for giving you sin in its stead. Fill our hearts with your spring of righteousness and purity so we may also quench our eternal thirst. Let your living water flow in the crevices of our souls and in our hearts where you dwell. We thank you Jesus for answered prayer for we have prayed in your holy name, Amen!!
