The summer of 1976 was one of the hottest ever recorded in Great Britain. On 3rd July temperatures soared to nearly 36 degrees Celsius, and some parts of the country had no rain for 45 days. Mains water supplies had to be turned off with people forced to collect water instead from standpipes in the street. I was at boarding school at the time and well remember rulers being placed by the side of each bath, with strict instructions that they should not be filled deeper than 6”.
While all this was unusual in country that normally has plenty of rain, it is of course the norm for many around the world. The supply of fresh water is a precious commodity and certainly not something to be squandered. Such was the case in Jesus’ day and sets the context for one of His most famous sayings: “If anyone is thirsty, let them come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within them.”
We all experience both physical and spiritual thirst that must be quenched in one way or another. Jesus was making the promise that only He can truly satisfy our spiritual thirst, and when He does so He does so abundantly.
