John 8:44 (ESV) “…for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

 

You know that expression “dying of thirst”… I was thinking about it last week when we had that sunny patch of spring. I was incredibly thirsty, the sun was shining with all its 18 degree might, and all I could think was, “I’d kill for a Coke right now”.  Luckily, I managed to get one through legal means instead and as I had that first sip, literally the word “Ahhhhhh” formed in capital letters in my mind. It was so unbelievably refreshing and satisfying. So of course, I greedily gulped down another mouthful and another and another… But that initial quenched sensation started to diminish with each sip, and my tongue began to feel sort of fuzzy and heavy.  Desperately I kept on guzzling, trying to get that original thirst-quenching satisfaction back, but in reality I was chasing it further and further away and getting more parched by the minute as sugar and gunk overloaded my system.

But my brain refused to compute what my body was telling it. I WANTED to find satisfaction in Coke. I BELIEVED Coke would relieve me of my thirst. It was only when in desperation I finally reached for that cup of water that I found blessed true relief, and my poor abused tongue, which by then was practically deadened by sugar and additives, cried in relief as it got what it needed all along.

Deception such as this is one of The Enemy’s favourite tools. Getting us to believe that we are chasing fulfillment when actually we are chasing death.  The thing is, he continually uses because it is such an effective weapon. Tried and trusted.  Because sadly, last week was not my first Coke scenario.  I have gone through that whole process countless times throughout my life.   But even though I always finally realize in the end that what I really need is just water, I still start off believing in the deception, wanting it to be my answer.

Now substitute tongue for spirit and Coke for whatever it is that you just KNOW would fulfill you if you could only get enough of it.  Money? Career success? Possessions?  Or what about the “good things” even: love, stability, respect…

True quenching of the spirit must come first, and it can only come from God…only then can we fully enjoy the other good stuff.  And there’s plenty of that waiting:

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

 

Now next time, if I can just drink my glass of water first…

 

Isaiah 58:11 (ESV) “And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.”