Dehydration

Did you know that your body is almost 75% water? The majority of us are walking around on the verge of dehydration because we don't drink enough water. Headaches, joint pain, fatigue and dulled thinking skills are all physical signs you need more water. Surprisingly, you may feel one of these symptoms before you actually feel thirsty. I read an article the other day that said the first thing we should do in the morning is drink a full glass of water to rehydrate ourselves. This made sense to me, I would imagine very few of us get up and drink water in the middle of the night. Our bodies need to replenish right away to function properly. 

What about spirit? Do you replenish your spirit on a daily basis? Much like our dehydrated body cells, we need to refuel our spirit to function at our best. What are the symptoms of a dry spirit? Well, if the fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23), your signal to drink up is when you are feeling anything outside of these attributes. Snap at your spouse? Losing sleep? Feeling down? Is chocolate your main food group? Perhaps these are signs you need to spend some time at the feet of Jesus. 

Are you familiar with the story of the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well? Jesus was traveling through Samaria and was sitting at the well having a rest from his journey during the heat of the day. The woman was an outcast in her community. She came to draw water in the middle of the day when all the other women were long gone. The Samaritan woman had been involved with a long string of men, five she had been married to and she was living with man number six. Jesus did not condemn her. He said (and I paraphrase): Come to me, I am the living water. Drink from the well of life that exists in me and you will thirst no more. (Read the full story in John 4 1-26). Jesus knew she was trying to fulfill herself with these men. What she really needed was to complete herself through a relationship with her creator. How many people spend their lives chasing after things that will never fulfill them? This Samaritan woman filled up at the well with the living, refreshing, cleansing water that is Jesus and she was filled to such a state of overflowing joy that she ran through the town spilling the same refreshing water over everyone else. Through the love of Jesus Christ she changed from being an outcast to being an ambassador for Him in one conversation. Imagine what daily communication can do for you!

You cannot share what you don't have. We cannot act out in joy, peace, kindness and gentleness if our wells are dry. Spend time every day at the well. Study your Bible. Spend quiet time in prayer and conversation with your creator. He will sit and listen to you, just as he listened to the Samaritan woman at the well. If you allow it he will fill you to overflowing and you may just find yourself running through the streets proclaiming the love of Christ.

Heavenly and gracious Father, I come to you today parched in mind and spirit. You are the only one who can refresh and renew me. Pour your spirit over me like cool, clear water. Flow to every broken and empty place; fill me up with your Holy Spirit so I can live my life in a way that truly reflects your love. Amen.

In His Peace -