From the Desk of Jeff King

Whoever thirsts

The next time you see TV preachers stealing from the poor and giving to the rich (themselves), remember Revelation 22:17 – "And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely." That invitation gets lost on the glitzy Christian networks. But Messiah Yeshua clearly sets the boundaries for redemption in His Word: it is free, open to all men, and through Him alone. He doesn't demand a membership fee or tithing pledge. The Lord calls to those who are spiritually parched, come, and receive My grace and mercy in its fullness. Take in what I did for you – pardoned sin and made you adopted sons and daughters of the Most High. You can hear His gentle voice in the New Testament wooing mankind – Come!

Hebraically, water is a metaphor for the Torah or Word of God. And Yeshua, who is the living Word, tells the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:14, "whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."

Today the gospel reaches the ends of the earth, but most people prefer not to look or listen. Maybe that's because, as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:18, the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. Let's face it, the gospel is a mystery. It can't be rationalized by the human mind. It is not the world's way. God willingly takes on the flesh of fallen man and allows Himself to be mocked, scourged and executed on a tree. For our sakes. And He asks for nothing in return, except for a surrendered heart to Him. If you don't think that's absurd enough, consider Hebrews 12:2 – Yeshua endured the cross joyfully to earn our redemption. That's how deeply He loves us. And He gives man the free-will choice to love Him in return.