With this strange turn of current events where I feel as if I’ve been thrown into a sci-fi movie, the prospect of having to do without a lot of things both now and in the future has made me very concerned. I’m actually a little terrified of what is going to happen to our economy and personal freedoms through all of this. I’m afraid that for many of us, our dreams will simply become passing thoughts that will never materialize as we navigate through a much different world.
My mind often jumps to worst-case scenarios, and based on the empty shelves at the grocery store, I assume I’m not the only one.
However, yesterday morning, as I read the story of the woman at the well in the book of John, I was reminded that Christ satisfies us and provides us with what we need in whatever circumstances we find ourselves.
In this particular story, Jesus tells a woman who comes to the well every day for water, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.” The woman is interested in this, of course, because she thinks her toilsome task of carrying water home from the well every day would be over.
I don’t want to get into all the details of that story because there is a lot to unpack, but Jesus wasn’t referring to literal water here as the woman thought. He was referring to something much deeper. Something spiritual that that satisfies us in whatever situation we find ourselves, even through death. He is making the point that He is where our strivings for meaning, purpose, and satisfaction cease.
Right now I have a lot of questions about the future, and I have no answers for any of them. I want peace, I want rest, and I want lasting joy.
But if I’ve learned anything yet through this weird time, it’s that careers, equity in our homes, various investments, and even health cannot be where we find lasting joy and satisfaction.
If we look to those things to provide us with security, joy, and satisfaction, we become enslaved to fear because we could lose them at in moment. Careers, education, health, goals, and dreams are not bad to pursue, but when we place all our hope and joy in those things, they become horrible taskmasters who rule with fear.
Thankfully, Christ doesn’t operate this way! He quenches our thirst, and he feeds us. His promise of satisfaction and acceptance is not based on our work or our own merit; it is based entirely on his and nothing else. Jesus did the work for us. His work purchased our joy, satisfaction, and security; and it can never be removed.
Jesus said that his yoke is easy and burden is light. He calls the weary and heavy laden to throw off their oppressive chains and follow him freely. Putting your security and future in the hands of Jesus can be scary, but it is also freeing and sustaining. With Christ, our joy is wrapped up in the eternally secure future Christ has purchased for us.
Photo by Jong Marshes on Unsplash
Andrew Thomasson 