Helper 1

John 7:37

There is a joke about a woman who enters the public library, goes up to the librarian, and says, “I would like a hamburger, fries and a coke.”

The librarian explains, “Ma’am, this is a library.”

The woman looks around at all the people reading and then turns back to the librarian. This time she whispers, “I would like a hamburger, fries and a coke.”

She knew that she was supposed to be quiet in a library, but she was missing the point that she had gone to the wrong place to get what she needed.

In this passage from John Jesus has attended the Festival of Tabernacles and on the last day, the height of the celebration, the priest pours out water onto the ground as a reminder of God’s benevolence. Jesus took this opportunity to make his own declaration. What is it? Is Jesus talking about people who are physically thirsty? What does he mean?

The Jewish Festival of Tabernacles is a wonderful reminder that God cares for His people. It is a celebration of God protecting His people. But with his declaration Jesus is pointing out an important truth. If any person is spiritually thirsty, if that person desires the soul refreshment that the Almighty can give, that person can turn to Jesus to get that solace.

So often in our lives we need to know that God cares about us. So often we are faced with challenges that push us to the edge of emotional stability. We may feel desperate and alone. We may feel that there is no hope for our situation.

And in times like these we may look for help, comfort and solace from many different sources. Some people may turn to alcohol for relief. Others may rely on drugs to help them get by. Others may take a less extreme approach and seek help from friends or family. Others may look for help from total strangers to relieve their stress.

But these approaches are like looking for food at a library. We are going to the wrong place to find our help. When the challenges of life confront us, when we feel alone and helpless, we need to remember to turn to Jesus for help. Jesus is the one who is able to refresh our thirsting souls. Jesus is able to renew our strength and give us the hope and help we need.

Who is Jesus? He is Savior and teacher. But he is also our helper in times of need. He is the one who can quench the spiritual thirst we have.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you turn to Jesus to be refreshed?