John 6:15 “Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.”
“Essie! Wake up! Wake up!”
I lightly slapped our two-year-old’s cheek a couple of times. Her eyes flitted open slightly, then rolled up and backward, heavy lids falling closed again.
“Corbin! I can’t wake her!”
Standing in our hotel parking lot, my concern turned to panic. Something had snuffed Esther’s spirited and cackling and boisterous demeanor and replaced it with lethargy and fatigue and drowsiness. The most noticeable difference was the last quiet hour of travel. That girl sang at the top of her lungs non-stop from our driveway in Fort Worth down I-35 past Hillsboro and Waco and Austin, but around San Marcos our car grew quieter and quieter. Reaching our destination in San Antonio, I assumed little Esther was simply worn out and napping. But she didn’t look right. She was limp and lethargic with slow movements and delayed reactions, hardly responding to us at all. I lifted Esther from her car seat and she sunk into my arms, face buried in my shoulder, unable to lift her head.
Seconds later, our pediatrician friend on the other end of the phone directed us to get fluids into Esther. Now the puzzle pieces came together in my mind – her two-day virus with little or no food intake, combined with the road trip and her still-full sippy cup, Esther’s little body was reacting to a classic case of dehydration.
At times I feel a little like Esther did that day. Not with physical dehydration, but in an emotional and spiritual sense I come to a place of exhaustion and lethargy, drained of the Spirit’s overflowing fluid and hydration. It’s amazing how much we need water – Living water – for restoration and energy and health. And hope. And yet we forget or simply don’t take time to stop and drink from the vast, accessible well of God’s living water. New Testament history describes how Christ routinely went away to be alone with His Father, separating himself from crowds and people and important going-ons to refuel and re-hydrate and restore his spirit.
Interesting, there’s a Watermark Hotel in San Antonio on the Riverwalk whose slogan reads, “Let the power of the water flow through you.” I love that. I love the reminder of water and it’s power. And that we need it flowing through us. And that by simply getting away and alone with our Father, He will overflow and refill and refuel us.
Back to that day in San Antonio. After consulting our friend we immediately put a bottle of water with a straw to Esther’s lips and she drank a few timid sips. A couple more sips, and she raised her head. A few more, and her face recovered its color and her eyes their shine. Eight ounces and an hour later, little Essie was back. And much to our quiet car’s delight, so were the missing Baa Baa Black Sheep and All The Children of the World.
Heavenly Father, thank you that we can stop and drink deeply from your well. That you restore and rejuvenate us in our time alone with you – our Living Water.
Amen
What a great illustration! I love how you see your dailies in light of God’s word. Beautiful!
The same thing happened to one of mine once. It is scary. I never made the connection before, but your ‘living water’ analogy is beautiful!
As always, TJ, what a beautiful post. Great example of what happens to us when we become spiritually dehydrated. Thank you so much, my friend!
Alyssa & MOTL – always means a ton hearing kind “writing” words from great writers. And R – GREAT job speaking this morn. Needs to be shared with more women. What a great, great message, touched me. God’s timing is indeed perfect!!
Great post, TJ! I really enjoyed reading this, and even though we have not had a dehydration incident like yours, I’m a great one for forgetting to water my plants. I’ve seen that same immediate reviving when they finally get a little water, but I never thought about that as an illustration of how much I also need the living water to keep my spirit from drooping.
Thanks so much, TJ! It was great to see you, too. Thanks for coming!
Good stuff, girl. Makes me want a drink of “water”. Thanks.