It is important to recognize that our souls are thirsty. When we do recognize our parched mouths, we begin to search for something that will quench it where we become satisfied. Isn’t it like us to search for perishable things that are short-lived? Don’t we pick and choose what tantalizes our senses and meets our expectations right now? Unfortunately, we become thirsty again, and again, and again.
What if I were to tell everyone that God has a way of quenching thirsty souls? His way of satisfying our thirst is through His Presence as He lavishes blessings upon us. Don’t be quick to hope that He will give great wealth and sunny skies every day. We live in an upside-down world where good and evil combat one another daily. We know that a day is coming when good will trounce evil and peace will be restored, but until that day arrives, God has given us Himself as we wait.
God knows we won’t make it on our own. We aren’t meant to. Evil, also known as sin, runs rampant in all parts of the earth. We are born in sin and held captive by it. We need saving and we need someone to lead us out from sin’s bondage. God gave us Jesus.
His Presence lives within us when we receive Jesus and believe.
In Isaiah 30, God shows us what His blessings look like for those who become wealthy in Christ. If only we could fully understand what God gives us as His children, we would live differently. God understands this. This is why He gave us the Holy Spirit. John 14:26 ESV, “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in Jesus’ name, He will teach you all things.” John 16:13 ESV, “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth.” Romans 8:26 ESV, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness.” The Spirit leads us home.
The first thing that needs to happen in quenching our thirsty souls is we must go to God. In Isaiah 30:18, we learn that the Lord waits for us to go to Him. Notice what blessings we gain from doing so, “God can show us His love and compassion.” We will see that God will be faithful. We are blessed when we “wait for His help.”
Our souls will be uplifted, strengthened, and our thirst will cease when we go to the Lover of our souls. Look at verses 19-21, God continues to pour into us His joy so our weeping will cease. He will treat us with grace (and love) when we ask for help. “God will surely respond to the sound of our cries.”
Even in adversity and suffering, God tends to us. He stays with us and teaches us through the pain. He will reveal Himself where we will know that He is there. “Your own ears will hear Him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go.'” He will lead us to abundant living now and forevermore.
The process that God has for satisfying our thirst has a part to it that causes many to stop drinking. This part causes them put their cup down and walk away. It is found in verse 22. As the Spirit fills us with the good things of God, we see how we have a part in the process. We must destroy idols and precious things that we hold on to more than God. We are to throw them out, get rid of them.
What keeps you from walking with God? What are you drinking that really isn’t satisfying? What fills your time that benefits you but not His Kingdom?
Now look at verses 23-26. When we are willing to change for God, He steps in. Remember verse 18, “The Lord must wait for you to come to Him.” God will bless us with rain at planting time. Let’s translate this, life becomes full, rich and our souls will be content. “In that day, your enemies will be slaughtered and the towers fall.” Sin will no longer have a hold on you and I.
We see in verse 26, “The Lord begins to heal His people.” Where God is healing, we will find souls that are no longer thirsty. What we find is freedom, glorious freedom. Galatians 5:1 speaks of this, “Christ has truly set you free, now make sure that you stay free.” Drink in the truths of Christ and you will thirst no more.
Carol J German 