Water upon him that is thirsty
“For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.”Isaiah 44:3
Reflection
Israel was discouraged, far from the land and weary of waiting. And it is to this people that God speaks, through the prophet Isaiah, with a promise of life: "For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground." Observe to whom the water is promised: to the thirsty, to the dry ground. Not to whoever is already satisfied. Thirst, which we usually see as a problem to hide, appears here as the exact place where God wants to act. Feeling dry inside disqualifies no one; it draws one near to the fountain.
Notice also the generosity of the images. God does not promise a drop, a sip, but "floods upon the dry ground". And the verb is "pour", which speaks of abundance, of water that runs and reaches everything. Centuries later, Jesus stood on the last day of the feast and cried: "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink." The evangelist John explained that He spoke of the Holy Spirit, who would be given to those who believe. Isaiah's promise finds its fulfillment there: the Spirit is the living water that quenches the deepest thirst.
The second half of the verse widens the horizon: "I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring." God cares about the next generation. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and godparents carry in the heart the wish to see the younger ones walking with God. This verse gives a basis for praying for them with hope. It is not a magic formula that guarantees the result without each one's own response, but it is a promise from God's heart, and we can hold it in prayer.
Begin by admitting your thirst. In what area are you dry: in prayer, in joy, in hope, in the will to serve? Say to God: "Lord, I am thirsty". Ask Him to pour out His Spirit on you, and you would be surprised how much He loves that request. Then write the name of someone younger that you love and pray for them with this promise: "Lord, pour out Your Spirit on this life." God's water runs to whoever is thirsty and reaches whoever comes after.
Prayer
Lord, I thirst for You. Pour Your water on my dry ground and fill me with Your Spirit. Thank You that my need does not push You away but draws You near. Pour out also Your Spirit and Your blessing on my children and on those who will come after me. Amen.
Put it into practice
Tell God honestly today where you are dry and ask Him to pour out His Spirit. Then write the name of someone younger and pray for that person with this promise.
To reflect on
In what area of your life are you thirsty, and what changes when you remember that the water is promised precisely to the thirsty?
Bible text: King James Version (public domain).