A Water that Quenches

A Water that Quenches, The Beginning of Something New, part 3

I believe that one of the most common human experiences is waking up in the middle of the night with an immense thirst, grabbing a glass of cold water from your nightstand, and taking a refreshing sip before falling fast asleep. As we pick back up in Exodus 17 with the Israelites in the wilderness, they arrive at a point where they have no water and are, again, complaining to Moses as to why God would lead them to a situation like this. Now, spoiler alert, God will provide His people with nourishing water to drink but this story illustrates the Israelites’ continued lack of trust in God. Despite delivering them from Egypt, despite splitting the Red Sea, and despite providing them with manna and quail, the Israelites find themselves thirsty and begin to doubt both Moses and God. Although this is a story of physical thirst, Scripture uses water as a metaphor for the good life presented to us through God. One of the most powerful examples of this is when Jesus encounters the Samaritan woman at the well. This encounter begins with Jesus asking the woman for a physical drink of water and ends with Him offering her a drink of everlasting water. This week we will further explore both of these stories and wrestle with the implications that they have for us. As we walk the path of discipleship together, my prayer is that in times of flourish and in times of drought we will seek to quench our thirst by the cup that Jesus is offering to us.

Caleb McCaughan, The Beginning of Something New, part 3: A Water that Quenches

Discussion Questions:

1. How much water do you drink throughout the day? Do you tend to drink water more than Coke/Pepsi, coffee, or energy drinks? Or vice versa?
2. When things are bleak, as it seemed for the Israelites, where or what do you turn to for comfort?
3. How does the living water of God nourish and restore your own life? How have you seen it in the life of others?