Quote from Forum Archives on March 27, 2003, 4:26 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Do you ever thirst for anything? Not just a common thirst for
water, the typical thirst that all living things have, but a
spiritual thirst for something more than what you currently
experience?

If you do, that's good! It means that you are in touch with the
way you were created. I believe that God created in us a thirst
for something that only He can fill. Jesus Christ unlocks that
hidden area of thirst and openly displays the very nature and
character of God, for Jesus was, in fact, God in the flesh.

Jesus, during His life in our midst (which is a historical fact,
easily proven), He was born, lived, and died. In that sense, in
His human flesh, He was like each one of us. That's where the
similarities, at least the close similarities, end. For though
He was very much a human being, in every other respect, He was in
very nature God.

Look at what the apostle Paul, in Philippians 2, says about this
very thing:

5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[1] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature[2] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death--
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11, NIV)

Please think first about these words, then read today's message,
which comes from the daily devotions series from
Christianbook.com during Lent.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

-----------

Wishing you a blessed and holy Lent! You have received this
message because you have signed up to receive daily devotions
from Christianbook.com during Lent. We have chosen excerpts
from one of the array of devotionals available at
Christianbook.com. We hope that this service enhances your
journey through the season of Lent and prepares you for the
festal shout on Easter morning: He is risen!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Perspectives on the Cross, Devotionals to Celebrate the
LentenSeason" by C. Neil Strait and Stan Toler (Beacon Hill
Press of Kansas City, 2002).
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

March 27, 2003

Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the
Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." -John
19:28

Jesus had been silent for some time. Those who were near the
Cross probably wondered if He would ever speak again. His body
was feverish from the lacerations on His back and the open
wounds on His hands and feet. He had lost a tremendous amount of
blood. Yet He found strength to say, "I am thirsty."

How tormenting His thirst must have been! Humans can go without
food for many hours, days, even weeks. But the body can't
survive long without water. Jesus' need for water reveals His
humanity. Though some theologians today question our Lord's
deity, many in the Early Church questioned His humanity.

Christ came into the world as a baby. He grew up as a child
under the watchful eye of His earthly guardians. Luke says in
his Gospel, "Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with
God and men" (Luke 2:52). Fully God, yet fully man. He hungered
and ate. He thirsted and drank. He tired and rested. He wept. He
suffered. He died. Real life, human experiences. What a paradox
that Jesus, the Creator of every lake, every river, and every
mountain spring would say, "I am thirsty"!

There's also a glimpse of deity in those words. Over 100
prophecies in the Old Testament concern the crucifixion of
Christ. Why did Jesus say, "I am thirsty"? John says, So that
Scripture would be fulfilled. What scripture? Ps. 69:3, a
picture of the Savior.

Jesus once told a story about a rich man who died and found
himself in hell. He was thirsty and begged Lazarus to dip the
tip of his finger in water and cool his tongue. When Jesus
died on the Cross, He entered the gates of hell, a place of
eternal thirst. At the Feast of Tabernacles Jesus said, "If
anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever
believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living
water will flow from within him" (John 7:37-38).

PRAYER: Jesus, today I thirst. I thirst for You. I thirst for
righteousness. Please fill me. I ask this in Your name. Amen.

THINK ABOUT THIS: He who was the water of life was
condemned to thirst.
By Stan Toler

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

If you enjoyed the abridged version of today's devotional, you may
want to purchase " Perspectives on the Cross" at:

www.christianbook.com/html/static/11948.html?p=1016468

Sincerely,
Your Friends at Christianbook.com
www.christianbook.com

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
P.S. Do you enjoy hearing about great deals and what's hot off the
presses? If so, we hope you'll forward this email to your friends
and share the good news. For even more good news, sign up for
our fun, free newsletters and get the scoop on your favorite areas
of interest:
www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/newsletter

We try to keep our customers informed about things we think they
may find interesting, like new products, special sales, and new pages
and features on our site. We hope you enjoy hearing from us, but if
for any reason you'd rather not receive email from us in the future,
just click on this link:
www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/unsubscribe_email

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop!
platinum.yahoo.com