“For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring.” Isaiah 44:3
It is a common need of man that he should have water to drink. Thirst is that mechanism that God put into man physically which signals to him that he is in need of water. When we look at the Scriptures, there is a constant teaching concerning the need of man for God. That need is constant, though at times there are particular circumstances and conditions which signal that the need is acute, essential, and imperative. Why? There are needs in the heart and soul of man which God alone can meet, can and must satisfy, and this, in an abundant manner. The evidence of such a thirst, and one’s response to God, is that man calls upon Him. He cries to God in his extremity. He also seeks God intensely. The man who truly thirsts, and who calls upon God in an acceptable manner, is that one who comes honestly before Him, with no pretense or demand, except that God would have mercy upon him as he is. The honest and sincere seeker of God is that one who is willing to come God’s way, that being by Christ alone. Only by Him is there access to the Father. What then can one with great thirst anticipate, or expect from God his maker, and Christ his Redeemer?
The first thing to know is that Jesus will not cast him out, or away. Jesus said, “All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out.” (Jn. 6:37) James, the brother of Jesus, writes In the same tone and way, so that those who seek Christ, specifically for wisdom, as we see in James’ letter, will know that if they come in faith, Jesus will receive them. James writes: “If any of you (i.e. the believers who were scattered over the Roman empire at that time,) lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men, liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (Ja. 1:5) To whom is the appeal of God intended? It is to those who are thirsting after wisdom in the difficult circumstances of their lives. Not only is James speaking of access to God by Christ, but the certainty of believing prayer by the individual seeker of God for wisdom. In addition to this, he declares that this promise and provision is not for just the occasional individual, but for all men, all seekers of God in Spirit and truth. The essential element in coming to God is faith, faith in Christ who saves, and God the Father who gives by the Spirit. The thirst that God gives, which is that consciousness of need, is that work of God by which He draws out the heart and soul to Him, not to just seek Him, but to find Him. This is the objective, that the seeking soul find God, the reality of His presence, and the blessing according to the promise.
What about the extent of the blessing that God gives to those who truly, honestly seek Him with their whole heart? The Lord begins to answer this by speaking of “water” that is given, that essential response of God, the very life of Christ by the Spirit. But then, He goes further than speaking of the essence of the blessing to unveiling the power of it. He speaks of “floods,” but on dry ground. The one who would know the power of the blessing is the one who seeks most earnestly for it. This is that one who is deeply thirsty, and whole-heartedly engaged in the search for Christ. The extent of the blessing goes even further, for it is designed and destined to be given to the “seed” of the believer. To the children, and descendants of the seeking believer comes the promise fulfilled, the Spirit and blessing.
Dear Father, Strengthen our seeking hearts. In Jesus’ name, Amen.