COME UNTO CHRIST AND DRINK

"When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue fainteth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them." -Isaiah 41:17 {KJV}

It is common to hear people say, ‘Such-an-one is a great believer.’ What idea strikes our mind of such a person? Are we not apt to think he is very rich in himself, having a vast stock of inherent righteousness? This is wrong: he is just the reverse. He is one, who knows himself to be poor and needy. His great faith leads him out of himself, to the great God and our Saviour, to receive, out of his fulness, grace upon grace. He confesses, I am a poor and needy sinner, living upon the unsearchable riches of Christ. 

The sight of our poverty, and sense of our need, the Holy Spirit keeps up in our minds all through life. This makes Christ, and His riches of grace, precious to us. Some say, Such-an-one is only a seeker of the Lord. This is just what God’s children are all their days. “They are poor and needy, and they seek water.” Their souls are athirst. “And there is none.” They can find no water of consolation in the whole world: they have no spring of comfort in themselves; they can draw none from their own righteousness. “Their tongue fails for thirst.” 

The sin of their nature, like a scorching fever, burns within them. This, the hardened in sin and self-righteous feel not. Regenerate souls do: they thirst after the cooling stream of Christ’s grace and salvation, to refresh them: their tongue fails, in uttering a word of their own works and faithfulness, etc. All their cry is about their poverty and need, and thirst after Jesus. 

Well, says He, “I the LORD will hear them.”—Yea, and answer them, too. “If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink” (John 7:37.) ‘Well, but I have been this poor, needy, thirsty creature ever since the Lord first convinced me of sin, and brought me to Christ for salvation; while I hear others talk of their riches, goodness, perfection,’ etc. Let them talk on: bless the Spirit for what you are. Expect to be poor and needy all your days. Rejoice at what the Lord says, “I will not forsake them.”  

Who? poor needy, thirsty souls. Such are the work of His Spirit; the glory of His Son; and the delight of the Father’s soul. Christ upbraids those who say, “They are rich and increased in goods,” etc. (Revelation 3:17.) “He filleth the hungry with good things, the rich He sendeth empty away” (Luke 1:53.) For Jesus says to all His people, “I know thy poverty, but thou art rich!” (Revelation 2:9.) Poor, in themselves; rich, in Him. 

 

“Why droop our hearts—why flow our eyes 

While such a voice we hear? 

Why rise our sorrows and our fears, 

While such a Friend is near?

To all thy other favours, add 

A heart to trust Thy word; 

And death itself shall hear us sing, 

While resting on the Lord."

 

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)