As seen in yesterday’s devotional, we are following gospel of fellowshipping and caring from Jesus invitation to those who are thirsty. He made the call at a very significant occasion, in the last day of a Feast of the Tabernacle, a day of celebrating feast of the harvest. At this time, many people are drawn from far and near and filled Jerusalem. Camps and mobile shops are built for people to entertain themselves. That Jesus called out for those thirsty showed He observed something differently going wrong. Today’s devotional is looking at another area of friendship and relationship among fellow Christians. It is pointing out to observing religious ritual while neglecting those supposed to be helped.
The religious ritual on this day involved the Priests filling a golden pitcher with water from the Pool of Siloam; carried in procession from the altar to the Watergate then back to the Temple. This procession involved more ceremonial activities such as blowing shofar, choir sing along and people shouting for joy. This is beautiful. Jesus would have seen that the Israelites and the Temple leaders do not attach life giving Spirit to the water. Biblically, water symbolises Holy Spirit. Reason Jesus invited the people to believe that He has living water of drinking. He says: “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water…” (John 7: 38) Does the ceremony increase their spiritual ripeness? Undoubtedly, this formed Jesus reason of saying that those who drink of His water, out of the belly of such person, flows out Living Water. Here is reason theologians said Jesus is talking of in-filling of the Holy Spirit that is given to whoever answers the call to repentance.
Notwithstanding, this devotional believes that the world needs life giving relationship from the churches than law-giving churches. Heads of churches should be more interested in giving members pure word of God. Full of Spiritual lives rather than human doctrines which enslave members to dos and don’ts. Many churches these days occupy their members with meetings, programmes and religious observations which failure to attend any puts the person on platform of sinner. The feast of the Tabernacle always last for seven days at a stretch. Question here is, for the seven days, how much impartation of real Spiritual drinks was given? Definitely, every days’ activities were filled with one ritual ceremony to another. Jesus saw how wrong things were, so He stood up, so that His voice would be heard better and said “…if anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said; out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” Christians who have advanced in faith must see that their faith becomes source of living water to others.
PRAYER:
All knowing Father, there are many people lacking foods and drinks in the churches unknown to those who should help them. Let the Holy Spirit of knowledge and understanding directs the rich and wealthy in the churches to make lives meaningful to all in Jesus name.
bishopubaudenyi@hopealivechurch