Thursday 29th August 2019 Prayer Devotion
Scripture Reading:- John 19:25-42
Topic:- The Seven Statements Of Jesus On The Cross [3]
Text:- John 19:28
5. The Fifth Word: I thirst, John 19:28
The fifth word of Jesus as His only human expression of His physical suffering. Jesus is now in shock. The wounds inflicted upon Him in the scourging, the crowning with thorns, losing blood on the three-hour walk through the city of Jerusalem on the Via Dolorosa to Golgotha, and the nailing upon the cross are now taking their toll.
The Gospel of John first refers to thirst when Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well. After first asking for “a drink,” He answers the woman, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” See John 4:13-14.
This passage implies there is more than just physical thirst. Jesus also thirsts in a spiritual sense. He thirsts for love. He thirsts for the love of His Father, who has left Him unaided during this dreadful hour when He must fulfill his mission all alone. And He thirsts for the love and salvation of His people, the human race. Jesus practiced what He preached. The loved ones of Jesus are with Him.
There are four at the foot of the cross, Mary his Mother, John, the disciple whom He loved, His mother’s sister Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. He addresses his third word to his mother Mary and John, the only eye-witness of the Gospel writers. Luke 2:35.
Jesus again rises above the occasion as He cares for the ones that love Him. The good son that He is, Jesus is concerned about looking after His mother. St. Joseph was noticeably absent. St. Joseph was not present at family occasions like the Wedding Feast of Cana and had probably died before the public ministry of Jesus, or else he would have been the one to take care of Mary following the Passion of Our Lord. In fact, this passage indicates that Jesus was the only child of Mary, because if he did have natural brothers or sisters, they would have provided for her. But Jesus looks to John to care for her.
The Gospel of John first refers to thirst when Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well. After first asking for “a drink,” he answers the woman, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life, John 4:13-14.
This passage implies there is more than just physical thirst. Jesus also thirsts in a spiritual sense. He thirsts for love. He thirsts for the love of his Father, who has left him unaided during this dreadful hour when He must fulfill his mission all alone. And He thirsts for the love and salvation of his people, the human race.
Jesus practiced what he preached, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends, John 15:12-13.
Prayer Points:-
1. Oh Lord God, help me to thirst for You sincerely henceforth by fire, in the name of Jesus Christ.
2. Oh Lord God, let Your Word become bread and water unto me and thereby grow unto maturity henceforth, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Have A Glorious Thursday! www.timogundelejesu.com
