One of my favorite trees is dead. I will miss it! For the past 22 years—ever since I moved in my house—it has been a source of shade as we sat by our swimming pool on hot summer days. No longer will we be able to find respite from the hot sun on scorching afternoons.

Why, I asked myself, would it die? While it is a mature tree, it really doesn’t appear to be that old. Its roots are near High Rock Lake so it didn’t succumb to drought.  In fact, to look at it, you would think it’s alive. It still has leaves–dried ones like all the other trees in the neighborhood; but the tree expert says it is dead. It will not bear green leaves again in the spring. Even though there is no apparent reason for it to die, it is dead.

On further reflection, though, it dawned on me. The tree also sits on the drain line for our pool. All summer long when we backwash the pool, we dump chlorinated water on its roots. A check of the Internet says too much chlorine will kill plants. We have apparently inadvertently killed it!

Sadly, this reminds me of what we do as we search for peace, love, and joy in all the wrong places. We thirst for something deep within ourselves that is missing. We try to satisfy that thirst with alcohol, drugs, sex, relationships, money, possessions, stuff—all poor substitutes for the real “Living Water.” As a result we slowly die—we kill not only our physical bodies but also our spiritual ones.

Just like my tree, we slowly shorten our lives trying to satisfy an unquenchable thirst that is, in fact, not physical but spiritual.

Jesus met just such a woman at a well in Samaria who had apparently tried to satisfy her spiritual thirst through relationships with men. She had been through five husbands and was now living with a man who was not her husband.

Jesus offered her “Living Water,” and when she accepted it, her life was changed. So excited was she that she took off to the town where she was no doubt an outcast and shared her experiences with Jesus. Her bold testimony led others to run to Him, and they were saved as well. (John 4:1-15)

Dr. J. C. Sproul, American  pastor and theologian, once described the unbeliever as lying “flat dead drowned” on the bottom of a swimming pool just like the one in the shadow of my dead tree. He is absolutely dead in his sins. He  can’t possibly save himself. Then the Lord—the Lifesaver—reaches down and pulls the dead man out of the water and breathes life back into his dead spiritual body. The man, once resuscitated, recognizes his Savior and clings to him with thankfulness and joy.*

As Isaiah writes,

“With joy you will drink deeply
from the fountain of salvation!
In that wonderful day you will sing:
“Thank the Lord! Praise his name!” Isaiah 12:3-4

During this Christmas season which is supposed to be about  the Prince of Peace, it is much too easy to chase after everything but Him—the “Living Water.” The result? We end up stressed out, frazzled, worried, and anything but peaceful.

When we realize what we are doing, may we, with the psalmist, cry out,

“O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water. (Psalm 63:1 NLT)

Further,  may we cling to Jesus’ assuring promise:

“To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.” (Revelation 21:6 NLT)

Finally, may we remember the words of Jeremiah,  “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. (Jeremiah 17:7-8 NLT)

Jesus is offering each of us “Living Water.” May we, like the woman at the well, answer,

“Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again. ” (John 4:15 NLT)

What about you? Have you accepted the Prince of Peace and his gift of Living Water? If you have, I pray you cling to Him and his free gift of salvation during this holy season. If not, I pray you will turn to him with great enthusiasm just like the woman at the well.

If you have experiences or comments you would like to share, I would love to hear from you. I sincerely appreciate all the comments and encouragement you are sending my way. Blessings!

 

*Joni Eareckson Tada. Pearls of Great Price. Zondervan, 2006, December 3 meditation.