So today I’m thankful for water. As I read back through this blog all of a sudden the water I was thankful for took a different turn.
Over the last few years I’ve been thinking a lot about my salvation and about the ones that I love. Quite frankly – I’ve been thinking about the ones I don’t even know yet. I have a best friend in Haiti that would take a bullet for me but I can’t let him do that because he doesn’t have a relationship with Christ. I want to pray – COME LORD JESUS – and yet if He does how many people will go unreached?
I am reminded of this story in Luke: 16:19
The Rich Man and Lazarus
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
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So why do I share this story on a blog where I’m thankful for water? Because for those of us who are apart of the family of Christ – we have the living water! We don’t have this same fate – but eternity with Christ.
I think about the fishing villages who walk 3 hours for water. When teams visit they often ask for the remaining water in our bottles. We don’t think twice about sharing that water. So why is that we don’t so readily share the living water?
In a world dying of thirst – we are hiding it? Too nervous or afraid to share it? Seems silly right? We have the ability here on earth to take pity and dip our hands in the living water & reach out to people – release them from their agony.
So today I am thankful for the living water. That I – Jody Castillo – have the ability through Jesus Christ – to help this world quench it’s thirst……. if I simply take the time & find the boldness to do it.
SO Thankful…Day 4
Ever just walk to your fridge and pull out a cold drink and pour you a glass?
Ever just walk to your faucet (of course with your fancy Brita filter) and get a glass of water?
Ever just walk to your freezer and get a couple of ice cubes?
Well if you can do that – you’ve got the entire country of Haiti beat! You never know what you’ve got until it’s gone!
Millions of people around the world do not have access to clean water. Those that do often have to walk miles. Can you imagine walking 3 miles to turn on your sink faucet every time you want a little water? There are fishing villages who live off of a 5-gallon bucket of water for days on end. Can you imagine telling your child they can’t drink because the water has to “last us” ?
I know growing up I hated to do laundry! Who does? I keep seeing those commercials for front-loading washing machines! The Haitians would have no clue what to do with that!! They spend hours down at the river washing clothes. They have a wooden paddle and lye soap. They BEAT the dirt right out of them clothes! I know not every home in the states has a washing machine but I doubt that you walk to the local river to wash your clothes!
Back in the day I remember not only going to the river to wash our clothes but also to take our baths! I will never forget when we had a team come to Haiti and we were plum out of water. That happens some now and we tell you to take “bucket baths”. But back then – we couldn’t even get enough water for the buckets! The team was a little nervous but we (missionaries) weren’t afraid! So what did we do? You got it! Everyone had their bathing suits on – and we bathed in the river with the Haitians – every day for over a week! This happened time and time again! Those were the good ole days!
I live in a 3rd World country but God has blessed my family with water! We have water to bathe and water to drink! Not just water -but a freezer with “some” ice! Not every drink is cold but man after a hot day of ministry – there isn’t anything better than some ice cold water! Can I get an Amen?
THANK YOU LORD FOR WATER – IN ALL OF IT’S FORMS!
