Thirst — Edwin Fesche

Thirst and the Good News from a Far Country

Proverbs 25, 25, which reads, As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. Most of us have known what it means to be really thirsty, but the experience has never been unduly alarming, for we have always been assured that a remedy has been nearby.

The friendly spigot or pump waits to serve us. However, there are veterans and those who have experienced circumstances similar to that of Eddie Rickenbackers. We think of those who have fought in the world's deserts or been cast adrift in tropic seas and have known the agony for days on end of a burning thirst.

Physical Thirst and the Relief of Water

At last, relief has come, and that simple, common liquid we call water has performed its magic. You remember in Rudyard Kipling's famous ballad, Gunga Din? It's the story of a wounded British tommy in hot India getting his first drink from a native water boy.

Says the soldier, And he got me half a pint of water green. It was crawling and it stunk, but of all the drinks I've drunk, I'm gratefulest to one from Gunga Din. To those dying of thirst, water becomes the one blessing that beggars attempt of description.

As water can satisfy the body, so under the precise circumstances, good news can do its equivalent to the soul. This is exactly what the Bible says. As cold water is to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

The Failure of Worldly Desires to Satisfy

A recent book, issued for the benefit of those in the advertising business, contained what was considered the best hundred ads issued during the last fifty years. The publishers were especially partial to Coca-Cola's effort in December 1922.

They considered that this ad had changed the drinking habits of the North American continent. It presented a girl on skis rushing down a snowy ski run. On the side were large bottles of Coca-Cola introducing the slogan, Thirst Knows No Season.

The campaign was so spectacularly successful that by 1930, Montreal was drinking 66 million bottles of Coke a year to New Orleans 69 million. Today more Coca-Cola is sold in winter than used to be sold in the summer.

Yes, Thirst Knows No Season. On every hand, men and women are thirsting for something. The big league ball players are thirsting for an ambitious number of home runs. Girls are thirsting for stardom at Hollywood.

Not a few men are politically ambitious or crave nothing more than the advantages of wealth. Unfortunately, when man thirsts only for things beneath the skies, he discovers sooner or later, to his disgust, the object for which he has thirsted does not satisfy him.

Some years ago, the great Grimaldi was the clown of his day. In the city of London, England, he was nightly bringing laughter to thousands. Yet, at this height of his success, the poor man was at heart depressed.

Grimaldi decided to hide his identity and consult a famous Harley Street nerve specialist. After the doctor had made his examination and discovered nothing wrong with his body, he was advised to forget himself and have a good laugh.

By the way, suggested the physician, go and hear Grimaldi. He is the kind of tonic you need. The unhappy patient replied, alas, I am Grimaldi. The historians tell us that when Alexander the Great had conquered the world, he lamented over the fact that there were no more empires to conquer.

Solomon's Vanity and the Broken Cisterns of the World

God permitted King Solomon, in the Bible, to possess all that his heart desired. This was obviously granted Solomon that the rest of us might profit from this experience, for there are so few that ever get all they want.

But from Solomon, we can at least learn to know how it feels. With everything coming his way, here is what he said, lo, I was great and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me, and whatsoever mine eyes desired, I kept not from them.

For my heart rejoiced in all my labor, and this was my portion of my labor. Then I looked on the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labor to do, and behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

That grand old prophet Jeremiah diagnosed the trouble of his time, and we believe it is equally applicable today, for my people have committed two evils. They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

I once asked a man how much money it would take to satisfy him. An amount was stated. That would not do, I said. It would always take a little more than you've got. Oh, dear listener, you have a heart that was made for God to fill, and no pencil streams from this world's founts can begin to slacken its thirst.

The Soul's Thirst for God

That remarkable man St. Augustine, who was saved from a profligate life in the fifth century, said in his first confession, Thou hast made us for thyself, and we are restless until we have found our rest in thee.

Yes, my friends, there is such a thing as soul thirst. David describes it in his 42nd Psalm. Here are his words. As the heart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God.

When shall I come and appear before God? When one is possessed of this particular thirst, he discovers all that the world has cannot slack such a craving. Everything but divine truth is found to be but a broken system.

The Gospel as Good News for the Thirsty

In this connection the Lord Jesus Christ said, For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? It is when one begins to ask, Is there not something more to life than raising a crop on the farm or a day's grind at business, a short vacation, and another return to the struggle for existence until retirement, then may follow that retirement the regular attendance to a heart clinic or the like.

When one begins to cry out, Is there really such a thing as salvation? Is there a heaven to win and a hell to shun? It is then, and not often until then, that the glorious gospel of Christ proves to be good news from a far country, yea, news from heaven itself.

This is exactly what the Lord Jesus Christ claimed through his person and words. He said, I am from above, ye are from beneath. Then he declared his words were just those that the Father had given him.

In John 12, 49 -50 we read, For I have not spoken of myself, but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting.

Whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. It must be noticed that the news is good only to a thirsty soul. Unless you are hungering and thirsting after righteousness, the good news of the gospel will prove of little concern to you.

Wanting the Gospel and Choosing Salvation

It is not that you need the gospel, but rather, do you want it? True, all need to be saved and every argument proves that fact. Generally, when we have presented these reasons, the force of their truth has been admitted by the stoutest of sinners.

They refuse on the ground that they do not want to become Christians. In other words, they are not thirsting. This was true of the dying thief until he turned and said to Christ, Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

The jailer we read of in the book of Acts chapter 16 had Paul and Silas put into his custody. He laid the whip across their backs before incarcerating them. Later he heard these men whom he had beaten singing and praising God in the darkness.

Then there was an earthquake. All this had registered upon his conscience. From a hardened sinner he became a thirsting sinner and pleased before his prisoners, saying, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

Instantly there comes the good news from the far country. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. It is no surprise to learn the sequel to this thirsting soul's inquiry. He believed with all his heart.

Friends, will you not do likewise?