The real thirst quencher!

The real thirst quencher!

Philemon 1: 7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.

It is very hot outside. You have a lovely bike ride at your program. What is the most important thing to take with you? Water of course. Imagine you are on the way and after an hour cycling in the heat you'll find out that you have forgotten the water bottle. Oh, no that’s stupid. Another half hour do you still drunk nothing, but you've also got no word said against your bike buddy. You actually don’t dare to ask, because you feel a bit stupid that you forget it. Then all of a sudden give your pal his water bottle to you and you may be drink. Without you’ve asked him to, you get water from him and the rejuvenated you, because it's hot and you are thirsty. Nothing is tastier than water at that time.

Paul used that image in his letter to Philemon. Philemon is a brother in Christ and he welcomes the congregation in his house. They have the meetings with him. He gives much love to hear the people involved in the municipality. Philemon give love to the people around him, just like Christ love gives to us. He's rich, but he doesn’t keep it just for himself, he shares it and thus he restored the people. He quenches, figuratively, their thirst.

Philemon refreshed his congregation, but Christ even more. Actually every man has great thirst. Some people don’t know and don’t want to know anything about it. They go on with what they are doing and finally they fall down. They have succumbed in their thirst. They did’t drunk the water of their Buddy. Would you like to let your thirst also be quenched?

But Christ offers to everyone His water, it's for everyone. No one is too small for him, because he wants to give all of its drinking water. Anyone who is thirsty come unto me and drink the living Water, he says. He wants to give it to you and please let him give it to you. Don’t spoil the water because you know everything by yourself and that you do not want to be dependent on Him. Drinking of the water and it will invigorate you, just like those biker who has thirst. It was for him as a sparkling fountain. Never before he has water tasted like that and appreciated as right now. It also tastes delicious, better than anything you can tastes. What do you think is delicious? This is a thousand times better. Take the Water that he gives to you.

Philemon refreshed his congregation, and you? Are you also an invigorating water within your congregation? Do the people close to you tast something of the love of Christ? They see the joy and they feel the consolation? Aren't you the one who strikes an arm around someone or are you giving a Word. It may already be something very small. But also radiate the joy that you may belong to Christ. People can see that in your life? They see the joy in Christ or do they see joy in other things?

We must follow the example of Philemon. Be a refreshing water for your congregation members. Let them see that you are from Christ and the living Water that you've been drinking. How? Send a card or walk to someone. Maybe the one next to you in the Church is now lonely or needs a listening ear. You have to give yourself not quite exposed, because often there is not waiting. They want to be heard or an arm around their shoulder. There are many ways to be invigorating, you should just be open for it. And take a look around you what you can do!

Lord teach me Thou love and let the living Water flows through me. I want to feel the swirling River of Thou. Would Thou fulfill me so that I can be that invigorating water to the people around me. Let me be a Philemon to Thou glory.