Forty-Five Verses: My Tree and I

I started taking the beautiful gold decorations of my Christmas tree and quickly realized it was so dry the needles hurt to touch. As each ornament, then ribbon and then glittery birds and branches and such... came off... so did the needles. Ouch! Not just dry, dead.  I gave the poor thing my best southern "bless your heart." There really was no amount of water that could truly revive it. It has served us well for well over a month and was the prettiest tree yet. The lights were a whole other ordeal...I was tempted to leave them on and trash them with the tree. Then I remembered we just bought them this year, not wise! And now that I think about it..wonder if that is what happened last year since I could not find light one when I got out the decorations? I basically wrestled with a dead, very prickly, Christmas tree trying to get those lights off. They sure were magical all lit up and sparkling on an "alive", green tree. So it was worth it. We just had a time disassembling, my tree and I. But just look at the treasure in the parched branch...a cross. Always look for and remember the cross.....

2018..you were a great tree.....

In your season...

I
There is a story about a Samaritan woman at a well in John 4:1-30. It came to mind last night as I was dealing with my dry as a bone Christmas tree. Jesus was traveling back to Galilee from Judea and stopped for a rest in Samaria at a well. When a Samaritan woman came to get her water he asked her for a drink. This was not normal etiquette for a Jew to associate or talk to a Samaritan. Her reply indicated as much..."...How come you, a Jew, are asking me, a Samaritan woman for a drink? Jesus answered, "If you knew the generosity of God and who I am, you would be asking me for a drink, and I would give you fresh, living water." John 4:9-10. She then questioned him because he did not even have a "bucket to draw with". (verse 11). Here is where it gets good....Jesus said "Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst-not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life." John 4:13-14 The woman then asked Jesus for the living water. Eternal life. Jesus was still engaged with the woman and when she tried to lie to him about not having a husband, He quickly let her know that He knew her past. She assumed he was a prophet but as you read through the verses you will see He was ministering to her. Her response "I don't know about all that, I do know that the Messiah is coming. When he arrives, we'll get the whole story." "I am he, said Jesus. "You don't have to wait any longer or look any further." John 4:25-26. She left when the disciples came back and obviously were not as welcoming as Jesus. And she told the people in her village about meeting Jesus. This was my paraphrase from the Message Bible. Check out the whole story for yourself. I have read it several more times since last week, that's why it is so fresh on my mind.

The living water, eternal life, is given to us through Jesus and we never thirst again. It is not water as the world gives that requires you to keep going back. Never enough. Worn out. Dry to the bone. A well that is self-filled will never stay full. An eternal well, a heart given to Jesus never runs dry. Ever. For all eternity. Full. Fresh Water. Pure. The essence of Jesus Himself. Refreshing Living Water. It's available, never a drought. I will say there have been times even in my spiritual walk that I have felt as parched as my Christmas tree. The good news is I was revived. Instantly, as soon as called His name. Jesus. Through a process, as soon as I called His name. Jesus. And it's really not about the gold and glitter anyway, those are only external and temporary...stay more focused on eternity and what's coming next, what's on the inside, on your heart and soul.  Just call His name. Jesus. Never thirst again.....

Day 19/45 Today's verse..
"And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  Acts 2:21

Blessings,
Suzanne