Anyone thirsty?

I have been pretty astounded by the amount of responses my last blog post received. I mean I know it's a pretty controversial issue, but within 1 day it had become my most read blog post ever with over 300 views. 

I do plan to blog further about homosexuality and the Church/God - but want to talk to a lot of wiser people, soak in what God is trying to teach me...so watch this space for more on that. 

Over the weekend I was away on a Christian Retreat with my Church's students and 20's group. There were about 50 of us who went down to this beautiful place called Ashburnham in Kent. Over the weekend we were reflecting and learning about these verses:

"On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them" John 7:37-38

I feel like I have taken in so much from these couple of verses. Over the weekend there were a number of talks that various people gave and each gave a real insight into the context of the verse and the response it requires. 

I learnt:

• When Jesus was saying this it was the last day of the "Feast of Tabernacles" - an 8 day celebration that was in honour of the Jewish ancestors who wandered in the desert. People brought their first harvests of crops/wine and spent the week celebrating. 
• For Jesus to stand up and say "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink" was basically saying, despite all the extravagance set before them, he was better.  
• For us, it isn't a challenge to be thirsty - there are times in my life when I feel really worn down and have little to give to anyone. The challenge is coming to God to be refilled. 
• As a Christian I am a Temple in which God dwells - in Ezekial 47 it talks of a river that comes from the Temple that starts as a trickle, growing to a stream, a small river and eventually a mighty river than impacts the locality. I want to be someone who is a mighty river.
• Jesus doesn't have what we need, he IS what we need. 
• When Jesus promises something it WILL happen - when I come to him for refreshing, he will fill me so that I impact those around me. 

To anyone who reads this blog, whatever your beliefs, I can personally and genuinely say that knowing God is the most refreshing thing I have tasted. I don't know why you have chosen to read what I say, but I don't just say it because I am desperate for things to blog about - I truly believe that my relationship with God is the most fulfilling and satisfying thing going for me. 

I want that for you too. 

Think about it.