I've been going through the book of John in an online study and today, I focused on John 7. In John 7:37-39, Jesus is at a feast and begins to make an illustration to describe the Spirit.
"On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified" (ESV).
These may seem like a few simple verses that you read quickly to move onto the next subsection of John 7 and, to be honest, that's exactly what I did. But as I read in my New Testament Commentary, I realized it was much more.
In the beginning of the passage, we read that Jesus was attending The Feast of Booths. This feast consisted of many rituals that played a part in ceremonies and one of which was the pouring out of water. This illustration used in the feast demonstrated God's provision of water to the people during their wandering in the wilderness in Exodus (See Ex. 17:6).
You're probably thinking, "cool, big deal." But do you see the detail?
Jesus used an illustration that the people would connect with in that particular moment in time.
The Lord knew what the people were celebrating; God's provision of water. So He used a metaphor to grasp the attention of the people. He turns the celebration of God's provision of sustenance and satisfaction into an illustration of our own sustenance and satisfaction.
Jesus pays attention to the details in our life.
I imagine that if the people at the feast were celebrating something else, a water illustration wouldn't catch their attention as much. Don't we see this is in our lives? Jesus using the details of the things around us. The people, the scenery, the geography, the celebrations, and even the struggles.
When He speaks, He cares so much about getting us to listen that He takes into account the things we're surrounded by. He sees the details that consume our thoughts, and He uses them to whisper, "Hello, I see you, and I want you to know I'm right here."
And so, friends, this is your reminder. Your reminder that the Lord sees where you are. Whether you've run away or you're close by Him. Whether you feel like you're in a dry valley or in a celebration. He sees you. And He wants to speak to you. Right where you are, with everything around you. He is a personal and intimate God.
