I HEARD the voice of Jesus say,
‘Behold, I freely give
The living water: thirsty one,
Stoop down, and drink, and live.'”
Have you heard His voice? And can you, indeed, sing—
“I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream:
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in Him "?
I hope each one of you can do so, dear young friends! At the beginning of this year we spoke together of Jesus—the Bread from heaven: now, as we have come nearly to the year's close, we will speak of Him as the Giver of the living water. Jesus says, "If any man thirst, let him come unto ME, and drink." (John 7:3737In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. (John 7:37).) He gives, and the way we get is, by coming close to Him, and receiving from Him.
Those who are thirsty value most the water they drink. I noticed, one hot summer's day, many children round a fountain, all of them getting cupsful of water. If they had not been thirsty they had not sought the fountain. So it is with the soul. The longing soul thirsts for what this world can never give, and this longing drives the sinner to Jesus, who loves to give, life, refreshment, and joy to all who come to Him.
Soon after the children of Israel had been fed with the manna they began to murmur for water. The children, too, were very thirsty, so much so that their fathers and mothers thought they would die. Do you think the good God would let the dear little children, whom He brought out of Egypt die for want of water? You will remember, when Pharaoh spoke about letting the grown-up people go, and of keeping the little children behind in Egypt, God would not allow such a thing for a moment, and could. He, now they were out of the land of bondage, suffer them to perish with thirst in the wilderness? It would not be like God. Oh, no.
It is very happy for you to know how the good and gracious God loves you and cares for you, He will never let one little child, who believes on Jesus Christ His Son, perish; and do not think He is not near His people, and with them in His grace.
Now there was a rock in the wilderness of Horeb. It must have been a great one, for God spoke of it to Moses as "the Rock in Horeb." Travelers speak of a great rock in Horeb, which has in it some holes, just as if water had run out from them. Some think this is the very rock Moses struck. Whether they are correct or not is more than we can say. Be that as it may, the rock was one which the children of Israel could easily see.
Jehovah bade Moses take the rod with which he had smitten the waters of the Nile, and smite this rock, that water might come out of it for the people to drink. The Lord would have the chief people of Israel see His servant Moses strike the rock. It was an open sight before their elders. He said that the people should drink.
Of one thing we may be certain, the water was fresh and bright, and there was plenty of it, for God gives enough and to spare when He bestows His bounties on His people. Our picture has little children as well as grown up people standing around this wonderful rock. Many a hand is stretched forth, you observe, by the eager people, and we can almost hear those clamorous men behind Moses crying out, "Give us water, that we may drink.”
Now Moses lifts his hand, he holds up the rod; see! he smites the great rock, and lo! the waters gush out in living streams. Everyone can drink now. There need not be one thirsty lip in all Israel now. Every one may fill iris jug or cup, for God has given the water.
How thankful, how happy the children of Israel-should be! Bread from heaven theirs, and water from the rock.
“How good is the God we adore,
Our faithful, unchangeable Friend,
Whose love is as great as His power,
And knows neither measure nor end.
Jesus has been smitten by the hand of judgment, and from Him, once crucified, we obtain our joy. He fills those who believe with His Spirit; they are satisfied and full of happiness. If one of you, dear young friends, is saying in your heart, "Oh 1 but I am not quite happy in soul," let us first ask, "Have you been to Jesus, who was smitten for sinners on the cross?" You say, "I have. I know my sins are forgiven. Jesus has saved me, and I am going to heaven, but still I am not fully happy in Christ.”
Well, the little children had to go across the wilderness as well as the old people. Not only fathers and mothers, but little boys and girls too. They could not always be carried, and so at times some grew very weary and sad. And so it is now; little Christian boys and girls have to go through the world as well as their parents; they have to find out what trouble is. Not that God sends greater burdens than their young shoulders can bear. Still, sometimes they look very sad. What is to be done? Just this: come to Jesus for happiness as you went to Him for salvation. "If any man thirst, let Him come unto Me, and drink.”
In our picture, in the foreground, is a little child with a small cup, and close to the child are two large vessels. Do you think there will be water sufficient for filling the child's small cup as well as for filling the large vessels when the waters begin to flow from the rock? Oh yes. And so there is joy for you and for all in Christ; He will fill you with His Spirit if you come to Him by faith. Jesus has been smitten on the cross for you, long, long ago, dear young Christian, and now He gives the Spirit of God to you, to dwell in you, and to fill you with joy.