A FEW years ago two young Englishmen were out in South America on a hunting tour. They were in the habit of setting out very early in the mornings (as towards mid-day the heat was very great), having with them a few natives, whose duty it was to go into the dense bush and beat the game out into the more open parts, where the sportsmen were on the alert with their guns.
One fine morning they started as usual, with the prospect of a good day’s sport before them. Having gone a few miles into the country, the natives turned aside into the dense part of the forest to endeavor to beat the game out; and in this way were very successful as the game came out pretty freely.
How our young friends did enjoy the sport―shooting away to their hearts’ content; in fact so engrossed were they in the sport that the time was altogether forgotten. The heat becoming intense, they decided to recall the native servants, and one of them gave a loud halloo—the appointed signal for them to return. Then propping their guns against a tree they threw themselves down on the ground to await the arrival of the beaters. The heat was now so great they began to feel terribly thirsty, but they had nothing to drink. Again and again they hallooed, but to no purpose. Thoroughly exhausted, they threw themselves down again on the ground: their thirst was terrible. Oh, what would they not have given for a drink of water! At last the natives returned. Having gone far into the bush, they had not heard the signals, but came back on account of the heat; and as soon as they saw the state of the sportsmen, one of them climbed up the tree that partly sheltered our friends from the excessive heat of the sun, and came quickly down again with some large green things, which he cut open, and there, to the delight of the thirsty men, came out cool, clear water. How eagerly they drank―how welcome was the refreshing draft!
Dear reader, have you ever been thirsty? Not for the same water they longed for, as “whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again” (John 4:1313Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: (John 4:13)), but for “Living Water”?
You may be going on with all that this world can give, you may be drinking deeply of its unsatisfying waters, but you will “thirst again.” Again I ask, are you soul-thirsty? If so, listen: “I will give unto him that is athirst, of the fountain of the water of life freely” (Rev. 21:66And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Revelation 21:6)).
We read in Luke 16 of a man who drank deeply of the pleasures of this world, and in eternity he thirsted for a drop of water, but oh, solemn thought, he thirsted in a place where no water is. “In hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham: have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame” (Luke 16:23, 2423And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. (Luke 16:23‑24)).
Dear thirsty soul, listen: “Let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:1717And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:17)). “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price” (Isa. 4:11And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. (Isaiah 4:1)).
J. A. D.