" 'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.' By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified" (John 7:37-39).

Driving through the Arabah south of the Dead Sea, it is not uncommon to see signs warning of the danger of flash floods. The signs look like a joke if you are traveling in the summer dry season. No water is in sight. But during the rainy season, a wadi (dry riverbed) can become a roaring river very quickly.

Drink to refresh yourself

The dry Sinai desert pictures well the spiritual desert that I sometimes find myself in. In the face of the financial struggles of our church body, I feel the dry desert wind draining the spiritual life from me. I see how society is becoming more secular, and I feel that dry wind again. Then I look at the people in our congregations who are battling addictions to drugs, and it seems so terribly hopeless.

But Jesus made a promise during the fall of the year. On the last and greatest day of Sukkot, or the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus was in the temple courts in Jerusalem when he promised, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink."

The fall of the year is a great time to come to Jesus and drink. In Israel, it is the time of the early fall rains. The dry soil drinks in the rain so that it becomes fertile again. In our churches, it is the season of End Times. Reformation Sunday refreshes us. "I am forgiven for Jesus' sake." Last Judgment Sunday proclaims that the wicked will not win in the end. Saints Triumphant Sun-day announces that not even the winds of death can dry up our hope. Christ the King Sunday helps us see that in spite of apparent setbacks here on earth, Jesus still rules and accomplishes his good and pleasing will for us and in us.

If you are going through a time of spiritual drought, come to Jesus this month and enjoy these refreshing waters.

Drink to refresh others

But don't come just for yourself.

Come because you want those same blessings to be poured out on others. When we drink deep of these waters, Jesus causes streams of living water to flow out from us.

When an ex-con talks about his spiritual confidence that comes from Jesus who washed away all his sins, the Reformation river of God's grace flows out of his heart into mine.

When a person who was sexually abused as a child can entrust judgment to the God who judges justly and forsakes the natural desire for revenge, I am humbled and encouraged to follow in her steps.