Stay Thirsty My Friends

This Dos Equis slogan is on bill boards across Austin right now, and I have to say it makes me sad every time I pass one. Most of you know that I do drink in moderation...this is not going to be a holier than thou rant about the evils of any alcohol consumption. No, this is about the lifestyle and desires that the bill board is advertising. I find it incredibly ironic that this slogan is in stark contrast to the words of my Lord in John 4:

"Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again,
but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty
again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water
welling up to eternal life" (vs 13-14)

This ad is encouraging people to continue looking for their happiness and fulfillment in the world...and encourages them to "stay thirsty" or "keep looking". Jesus blatantly tells us He wants to permanently quench our thirst, our search for fulfillment, our need for acceptance. He tells us that in Him we can have LIFE. The original Greek word Jesus used for "life" is the "zoe". For the Stoners reading this you should recognize that "zoe" does not just refer to a physical, living, breathing kind of life. No, ZOE is life abundantly, to the fullest, life that does not end in the death of our physical bodies.

The enemy wants us to "Stay Thirsty" because he knows if we find the Living Water that we will never thirst again, and will have found our salvation and eternal happiness in Him. To those of you finding "happiness" in frequent inebriations and casual hook-ups, I challenge you to ask yourself if you are finding true happiness in these events? Or do you walk away thinking there must be more? Does the physical pleasure of the moment really bring lasting fulfillment?

Know that I ask these questions not from a place of judgement, but from a place of love and understanding. I have lived the life of instant gratification, and all the while I felt empty inside. It wasn't until I began to surrender my life (yes, I say "began" because for me it is a daily process) to Christ that I began to understand what "fulness of life" meant. It wasn't until I allowed the Lord to become my happiness that I learned what it was like to have lasting gratification. Jesus loves you more than you can comprehend, and wants to be your Living Water even more than you want the immediate gratifications that this world can offer you my friends.

If you find yourself tiring of the "gratification" this world can offer and want to find lasting peace and satiation please know that I am always open to talk. Also, the Book of John is a great place to start if you are questioning Christ and what He can offer. If you are more of a listener than a reader, check out the Austin Stone Community Church's online sermons.