THE WATER OF LIFE

In these last verses of the Bible, the Holy Spirit and the bride speak to the Lord Jesus and say, ‘Come’. The Spirit indwells the bride and anticipates the bright and morning star no less than she does. He has been identified with her in all her pathway here. In all the pilgrim journey He has been her ever-present companion, giving sympathy and succour at every turn. Now, together, they cry, ‘Come’, in united, blessed anticipation of that glorious moment, inviting also the individual who has heard His voice to join in. Every individual believer, no matter how con­scious he may be of failure and weakness, is able to anticipate that happy moment when that star appears.

It is as the believer is taken up with Christ in glory and is careful for His interests down here and as he is looking for Him to come that he shall have a proper spirit of desire for the bless­ing of his fellow man. Accordingly, the cry goes out, ‘Let him that is athirst come’. Such, whoever he may be, may take of the water of life freely.

Here is the last gospel message in the Bible and it is couched in the simplest of terms. There is a need and it has become known and felt: a soul is thirsty. Others might have been more thirsty, or been thirsting for longer, but here the invitation is extended very simply to those who know their need. No limit is put on the number who may come and drink. There is enough of the water of life for all and it may be freely drunk.

Such a soul will not come to the Bible as a critic who desires to add to scripture, as if something vital is missing; or take from scripture, as if the breathed out word of God contains unwar­ranted material. He comes recognizing the grace of the giver of the water of life in making it available in the inspired and pre­served word of life and is grateful for every single life-giving word from God to man.

Let us treasure these last words of our Saviour. ‘Surely, I come quickly’. Let there be nothing that would make us want to defer His coming but may each be able to say with the aged apostle John, ‘Amen. Even so come, Lord Jesus’.

‘The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen’.