Water is an important and frequent symbol in the Gospel of John.  It points to the spiritual life.  What is so ironic in this Gospel is hearing Jesus, the source of Living Water, speak the words, “I thirst.” 

Jesus thirsted the anguish of hell, so we could have living water.

His thirst was certainly more than just a physical thirst.  This is the only reference of Jesus mentioning physical discomfort.  Frankly, thirst was at least third down the list of bodily needs next to bleeding and suffocating.  Jesus was experiencing far more than just physical pain.

John tells us that he spoke these words to fulfill the Scriptures.  Jesus was thinking of Psalm 22 while on the cross.  There are several prophecies made in Psalm 22 that are fulfilled on the cross.  Each was part of the forsakenness of the cross.  Jesus was bearing the wrath of God for our sin.  It was a spiritual thirst.  He was experiencing the outer darkness, spiritual death, and torment of separation from the Father.  Jesus thirsted so we could receive living water (see John 4). 

In Jeremiah 2:13, God levels two charges against his people related to their idolatries.  They have forsaken God, the fountain of living waters.  They have also hewed their own cisterns that fail to hold water.  In short, they’ve ignored God while practicing idolatry.  And we do the same thing today.  Any time we seek life apart from God we are doing this.

This coronavirus is exposing many such cisterns.  Workaholism, comfort, leisure, and money are all being strained thus exposing our dependence on them. Christ invites us to come to him and drink (see John 7:37).   

Taking It Home:  Ask yourself or discuss this question with your family: What cisterns have I dug to find water apart from God?