Rivers of Living Water

Are you running on empty? Discover how the Feast of Tabernacles is more than a tradition—it’s an open invitation to meet Jesus and finally quench your deep thirst.

Just look within the Psalms, and you’ll find a recurring theme of rest and rejuvenation in the Lord. The Word says,

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? (Psalm 42:1–2).

O God, You are my God; Earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh faints for You as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.

Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; in Your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise You with joyful lips (Psalm 63:1–5).

These passages speak of the psalmist’s desperate thirst for the Lord and His presence. He speaks of taking action to quench this thirst … panting … appearing before God … seeking God early in the morning … looking for the Lord in His sanctuary … beholding His power and glory … and praising Him with uplifted hands.

As a result, the psalmist comes to this beautiful conclusion: “My soul will be satisfied …” This is God’s will for YOU as well, friend. He wants to satisfy your soul and quench your thirst as you seek Him—even in “a dry and weary land.”

But perhaps you didn’t realize the Feast of Tabernacles presents an opportunity to drink deeply of God’s refreshing, satisfying waters. On the seventh and final day of the Feast of Tabernacles each year, the climax came when the priest poured out water in the temple. This ceremony was a petition to God to send rain for the coming year’s crops.

However, one year when Jesus was celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles, He interrupted this religious ritual with a stunning claim:

If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water (John 7:37–38).

This, no doubt, was quite upsetting to the religious leaders. Jesus was offering to quench people’s spiritual thirst not by religious rituals, but by inviting them to come to HIM and drink.

Friend, if you are still thirsty after all your efforts to find fulfillment, why not heed Jesus’ invitation to come to Him and drink? Not only will your own thirst be satisfied, but “rivers of living water” will flow out from you to bless others.

Remember, Jesus made this incredible offer during the Feast of Tabernacles. Of course, He wants you to come to Him today and every day. But God instituted His appointed times as special opportunities to be blessed and refreshed. These are appointments you don’t want to miss!

Scriptures to meditate on this month:

Week One
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.
John 4:14

Week Two
For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
Psalm 107:9

Week Three
And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
Isaiah 58:11

Week Four
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without prince.
Revelation 22:17