In the midst of a seven day celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles as recorded in John 7:37-39 – a celebration of remembrance of God’s provision and guidance of their religious ancestors’ wilderness journey.

On the last day, Jesus stands up, raises His voice above the noise, and offers something radically different — “Is anyone thirsty?” A question that cut past the noise of religious routine and moves us to face the universal reality of the human condition: our spiritual appetites can’t be satisfied by mere tradition or religious routine. Sometimes our spiritual thirst shows up as fatigue, anxiety, discontentment, or apathy.

In the greater context of the biblical narrative of Jewish tradition the entire celebration is meant to lead us to Him — Jesus as the fulfillment of the Feast and the ultimate Provider of the Living Water of the Spirit. The verb “drink” in this context is in the present tense, indicating ongoing action that is tied to a lifestyle of a continual thirst for Him.

~ Dan Ecker