Rescued from an extreme case of poverty in New York City, an emaciated little girl lay softly on the white sheets of a hospital bed. Her wide eyes looked cautiously around the room, marveling at the cleanliness she saw in her hospital room. Nurses who didn’t even know her offered her a big smile as they walked back and forth performing their various duties, and she smiled back. Weak and thin from many months of deprivation the little girl recalled how her family had been able to fend off starvation by sharing their meager supplies of food. She looked down at the food on her cafeteria tray and thought “Who am I going to share all this food with? When are they coming?” Time passed and no one came. Eventually the nurse stopped by to see if she was through eating. Not a thing on her tray had been touched. “Honey, don’t you want to eat?” the nurse asked, “How about some milk? Won’t you at least drink that?” The little girl pointed to the glass and asked, “How far down can I drink?” Tears welled up in the eyes of the nurse as she realized that this little girl had always been told to save some for someone else in the family. With a choking voice the nurse told her, “Honey, it’s all for you. Drink it all. And if that’s not enough, I can get you some more.”
So often there are people who are starving for something good from God. And through their lives they might find small portions of God’s truth demonstrated or spoken about. But they crave to be helped — to hear the whole message from God. And they have hungered much too long. As pastors and representatives of Christ’s Church, we are here to give the world His message. And what is Jesus’ message? Let’s listen to His own words:
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” – John 14:6
“Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me.” – John 6:57
“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” – John 7:37-38
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.” – John 11:25-26
“When a man believes in Me, he does not believe in Me only, but in the One who sent Me. I have come into the world as light, so that no one who believes in Me should stay in darkness.” – John 12:44-46
There are many more Scriptures we could use to make this point but I believe it is obvious to all of us that the message of Jesus was Jesus. He was all He had to offer to the world. Yet He knew that He was enough and that if only people would follow and come to know Him their lives would be changed forever.
The message of Jesus was Jesus. Our message is Jesus too! Our glasses are full – now it is time to offer them to those who are thirsty. And don’t forget to give them permission to drink up!
In Christ,
Barry
www.godspromisesnow.com
