Six Stages of Thirst

There is a definite sensation to being thirsty and it’s not pleasant.

There’s a range of slightly wilted to mostly dead look to something in need of water, measured by how long moisture’s been withheld.

There’s a squishy impression to earth, belly, or soaked diaper that has received an abundant measure of water.* p.s. or carpet.

And on a blazing hot summer day, few things are more refreshing than pools, lakes, rivers, or the neighborhood splash pad full of fountains and water features.

At some point, the human body cannot survive without water.

Neither can one’s spiritual body.

For the one who feels like a curling-up-its-toes plant or a desert riveted with long, dry cracks – there is another One whose invitation never wears out and whose Source never dries up:

Jesus stood and cried out, saying,
“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.”
“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said,
‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'”
John 7:37b-38 NASB

One of the definitions of ‘thirsty’ is a strong desire for something. You can almost feel the palpable strong desire of Jesus for thirsty anyones to come to Him and drink deeply of the water of Life.

I think it’s a toss-up as to whose desire is stronger when there’s a thirsty soul afoot – His or ours.

His promise to the one who believes in Him (has faith in and entrusts their spiritual well being to Christ), results in rivers – not just a trickle but rivers – of living water flowing out from within one’s satiated heart.

It’s a beautiful thing when the soul’s limbs and leaves revive again and the dry desert begins to blossom.

Six Stages of Thirst

In my devotions one morning, I identified six stages of thirst in one’s spiritual development. See if you identify with any of these. Your added insights and notes are welcome in the comments section below.

Stage 1: Dry Ground – My husband and I live in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. It is a beautiful corner of God’s world, forested and full of rivers and lakes. We have our share of plains and arid regions, but even they are beautiful with enough rainfall.

With an absence of sufficient rain though, the ground becomes increasingly dry and unyielding. It requires a lot of work to break up the dehydrated ground. When it becomes a tinderbox for firestorms, the destruction is deadly and far-reaching until the blessed rain comes, the earth drinks deeply, and the flames are subdued.

Can you relate? If so, I encourage you to take your dry heart to Jesus and drink. Drink in His nearness and His Word. Moisture will follow.

Stage 2: Thirsty in a River of Plenty – This stage reminds me of the old saying “water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink.” If you’re floating in the ocean, that’s true. You may be surrounded by water, but salt water will not appease the thirst. In fact, it’s dangerous. That’s why rescue may sometimes mean steering one into the mouth of the river where fresh, not salty water will revive and restore again.

The flip side of being thirsty in a river of plenty is the refusal to dip one’s cup down in the river (for reasons as myriad as there are individuals), leaving unquenched thirst when it does not have to be that way. Remember, neither a physical nor spiritual body can survive without the inflow of life-giving water.

Stage 3: Water Carrier to Others While Only Sipping for Oneself – I have never forgotten a story I once read that illustrates this stage all too well. It was the tale of a military leader in command of a number of troops. They were boots on the ground covering terrain that wars are made of. Hot, tired, and beyond thirsty, they came to a stream of fresh flowing water. Oh, blessed wet sight!

Their leader encouraged them to drink long and deep, to fill themselves to saturation for “it would be a long march to the next watering hole.” Then, like a feathered friend in a bird bath, the leader splashed some cool water on his face, cupped his hands and took a short swig of water from the river. When some of his troops urged him in like response to drink deeply, he waved them off with an “I’m fine.”

He was not fine sometime later when the heat and onset of dehydration brought him to his death. His soldiers, with emotional reluctance in the face of necessity, buried him and kept marching forward.

Six Stages, interrupted…

It’s a good thing I like irony. This post was ironically interrupted before I could list the remaining three stages.

I had not quite finished this writing when it was time to close up shop for the day. My plan (where the irony part comes in) was to hopefully finish it that evening so it would go out on schedule next morning. That is, until the wrinkly part sloshed us up close and personal.

My husband and I stepped into the house only to be greeted with an unfamiliar, pit in the stomach sound. Water. Flowing freely. Like a small geyser. A connection under the sink in one of the bathrooms had busted.

Two inches of water stood at flood stage in the bathroom and had meandered out to saturate, I mean, totally soak the carpet and pad in ever-widening areas of squishy.* The height of irony is the law of gravity. Water runs downhill. To the lower level. To meander some more and water everything in its path. One can never own too many towels.

I’ll be back with part two and the spiritual application of ‘waters rising.’ Apparently, God likes irony too…

~ Nancy

photo credit: 85/365 Mar 26, 2011 via photopin (license)