May 27, 2012

HOPE IS LIKE WATER

PHOTO SOURCE
The other night, we were invited to a birthday dinner for my sister-in-law.  I was fetched by my husband and we went over to their house, a short drive from my office.

I was still feeling low with the allergic rhinitis striking back again with the temperatures rising at midday and lowering sharply at dawn.

When we got to my sister-in-laws', I begged to retire to a bedroom to rest for a while as the dinner time is still due in an hour.

I spotted a magazine published in Dubai and I decided to leaf through it to pass the time.  Then I came to this ad that says,



"Because hope, like water, flows naturally.
Hope is a beautiful thing-it can impart courage, determination and strength of mind.
It is hope that drives us forward when worry holds us back and it is hope that lifts us up when troubles weigh us down.

Let if flow."

(Ad from Masafi Co. Dubai)


Beautiful words which whisked me to
some scriptures like,

"Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 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.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” 
                                                                                                      

                                                                                                        John 4:13-15

This was the water Jesus gave to the Samaritan woman.  It healed her of her sins and led others to the one who gives the water of life.


Water washes filth and fill our cells with the needed ions to keep us alive.  Water therapy is said to cure diseases and drives away stroke.

If  I double up my in-take of water, I will surely be on the quick road to recover from my allergies.  I promised to myself I will do that.

Here is the verse that says the Lord is the hope of Israel, just like the ads:

" O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be put to shame; those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living water."

                                                                                                      Jeremiah 17:13

He who has Jesus will never grow thirsty for:

"He leads me beside still waters.     He restores my soul."

                                                                                                                             Psalm 23:2b-3


And I will be healed (from physical and spiritual diseases). Jesus is my hope, my fountain of Living Water.  Amen.  

 And where is it which says...... it is for free?  Which should I let flow?  Or rather "let God flow?"  Water or Hope? Ah, it should be HOPE because my hope is in the Lord.  And when my hope is put upon Him.... everything should flow...... from within me... then my thirst will be filled too.


My hope is in You
by:Aaron Shust

 I meet with You and my soul sings out
As your word throws doubt far away
I sing to You and my heart cries
“Holy!
Hallelujah
Father, You’re near!”

My hope is in You, Lord
All the day long
I won’t be shaken by drought or storm
A peace that passes understanding is my song
And I sing
My hope is in You, Lord

I wait for You and my soul finds rest
In my selfishness, You show me grace
I worship You and my heart cries “Glory
Hallelujah
Father You’re here!”

My hope is in You, Lord
All the day long
I won’t be shaken by drought or storm
A peace that passes understanding is my song
And I sing
My hope is in You, Lord

I will wait on You
You are my refuge
I will wait on You
You are my refuge

My hope is in You, Lord
All the day long
I won’t be shaken by drought or storm
My hope is in You, Lord
All the day long
I won’t be shaken by drought or storm
A peace that passes understanding is my song
And I sing
My hope is in You, Lord
My hope is in You, Lord
Yeah
My hope is in You, Lord

23 comments:

  1. Lolita, your post reminded me of a song I have sang many times.

    One day I came to Him
    I was so thirsty
    I ask for water
    My throat was so dry
    He gave me water
    That I had never dreamed of
    But for this water
    My Lord had to die

    Chorus
    He said I thirst
    Yet He made the rivers
    He said I thirst
    Yet He made the seas
    I thirsted, said the King of the ages
    In His great thirst
    He bought water to me

    Now there's a river
    That flows as clear as crystal
    It comes from
    God throne above
    And like a river
    It wells up inside me
    Bringing mercy
    And life givng love

    Thank God for His life giving hope.

    Great post, Blessings.

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  2. Trust my ever courageous-warm hearted friend to sing to me.

    Thank you for this, Betty. It is so fitting for the post.

    God bless you, my sweet-singing-wise-hearted Betty.

    It is good to see you at Pam's, at Martha's, at Diane's and here in mine.

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  3. Betty-

    I need to add, that the song is misting my eyes.... for in Jesus giving me water for my dry throat, He had to die..... and endure thirst Himself upon the cross.... which the soldiers quenched with vinegar and bile.....

    Jesus had to bleed, be wounded and die upon the cross..... so I could enjoy the refreshing living water.

    All I had to do is believe and I now have HOPE.

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  4. Betty, that song is so beautiful. I, like Lolita, got teary-eyed...I never heard that song. What is the name of it?

    For this water - to quench my thirst - He died...how precious is the Water of Life!

    And what a precious post, Lolita! Thank you! My heart is rejoicing! Hallelujah!

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  5. My dear friend Lolita,
    What a beautiful song you have shared at the end of your post, and what a lovely story this is about water.

    Amazing that you write a story about a magazine published in Dubai.

    It is not a coincidence that I am here reading your words.

    My friends and I returned from a three week ministry trip. We arrived early Saturday morning. I am so happy to be back in my own homeland.

    I do hope that by now your allergy is gone and you are back to normal.

    Scrolled down a bit to read your other post, about the book on calligraphy and praise words from Scripture. It surely sounds like an interesting book!

    I enjoyed my time here at your blog place today.

    Praying for God's healing touch to be on you today.

    Love
    Lidia

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  6. Song is: I Thirst written
    by Beverly Lowrey, mother of Mark Lowrey the christian comediun and singer with the Gaither's.
    I must tell you this story that makes this song so special to me. Our first weekend in Bolivia all the parents are at the boarding school dropping off their children. They ask me to sing (not sure how they knew I sang), I did not sing this song. But afterwards one of the teachers came and said I must give you this tape by Beverly Lowrey, you sound just like her. Never heard of her but fell in love with the song, I Thirst. I wrote her to find out how to get a sound tract of that song...she sent me all the tracts on the tape. that just does not happen in the music world...she did ask me not to use them to make money. Of course that was an easy request to fill. Yearssssss later we were in the St. Louis airport, Mark Lowrey was waiting on a plane and I was able to tell him of the kindness of his mother. My dreams was to meet Beverly face to face and yearssssssssssss later she spoke at a confernece near where we were and of course I went. Between her sessions I was able to meet her and she remembered me for we corrosponded through the years. She said I always wondered what happen to you, were you still in Bolivia? She was a busy woman and I was too so we just lost touch. She also taught at Liberty University and still writes songs I am sure.

    Like I said I have sang that perticular song in several church and always get the same response you girls had to the message. It always brings tears as the deep truths touch us to our souls...yes the one who made the seas, the rivers on purpose thirsted...now that is powerful enough to give hope. Lolita...courage may be my focus but it is fueled by hope...bless you.

    I just listened to George Younce sing in on youtube...still makes me cry.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Went over to YouTube to listen to George Younce sing the song I Thirst so beautifully.

    It is my very first time to hear this song, Betty.

    Thank you for sharing the lyrics, and your story, here...

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  8. This is so beautiful, Lolita. An old worship song about water has been in my prayer times lately (nothing as beautiful as what Betty shared), but the words keep singing in me... "I've got a river of life flowing out of me. makes the lame to walk and the blind to see. Opens prison doors, sets the captives free. I've got a river of life flowing out of me. spring up o well, and give to me, thy life abundantly."

    Betty, I never heard that song either. Don't have sound yet on my old computer, so I will have to search it out. Thanks for sharing it. I love the song Mark wrote, "Mary did you know," so I can see it runs in the family. Love your story about finally meeting her...

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  9. @Lidia-

    I praise and thank God, for you are back from a mission.....

    ...and just in time for you to say goodbye to May. I am excited to know what would be the title you name for the outgoing month....

    ...and of course, I will be getting updates about your whole month as well as what you need to rejoice and thank God for with the things you experienced in a strange land.

    Welcome back, Lidj, I am so glad you dropped by and read through here.

    ReplyDelete
  10. @Betty-

    Thanks, friend..... for the moving story and how you really got a personal connection with the writer of I Thirst. I wish I could hear you sing it, maybe..... you could upload your own music at YouTube soon.

    ReplyDelete
  11. @Pam-

    Thank you, Pam.....

    Please continue making your own lyrics to the song.... and share it to us.

    I like this:

    "I've got a river of life flowing out of me. makes the lame to walk and the blind to see. Opens prison doors, sets the captives free. I've got a river of life flowing out of me. spring up o well, and give to me, thy life abundantly."

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  12. @Diane-

    Yes, D. The lyrics is so moving.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Pam, I so remember your song...it was a favorite at youth camps, children church, on the bus as we picked up children for church. Seems like there were hand motions to go with the words...the words keep flowing in my mind...

    I so agree...beautiful post, see how many songs and praise it stirred up for the glory of God.

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  14. Yes, Betty.

    Thanks to Him too, for I am now better. The healing flow of the river of life-heals us.

    Thanks for all the songs sang to me while I was suffering from allergies.

    Glory be to God, and in His son Jesus Christ, whose love flows like a river in our heart.

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  15. Welcome back, Lidia. I cannot wait to hear about your trip! You were missed!

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  16. Hello Lolita,

    "He leads me beside still waters, he restores my soul." What a restorative reminder.

    Thanks.
    Jennifer Dougan
    www.jenniferdougan.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Lolita,

    Something weird was just happening with my email so I'm not sure if you got my last one. You had asked if i sent you one that had a crazy link in it. Don't open that. I did NOT send it. Thanks for letting me know. Yahoo showed something that looked like someone tried sending from my email but it all came back undeliverable, so I pray that nothing else went thru. Thanks for letting me know!

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  18. Betty,

    Yes we used to sing that when I was in a college prayer group years ago... not sure about hand movements, but it would seem likely. :)

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  19. Pam, Betty:

    I found this:

    I've got a river of life flowing within me

    Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/ns/37#ixzz1wPrJYq2A


    I've got a river of life flowing within me;
    It makes the lame to walk and the blind to see.
    It opens prison doors, sets the captives free.
    I've got a river of life flowing within me.
    Spring up, O well, within my spirit!
    Rise up and tell, so all can hear it!
    Spring up, O well, so I experience
    That life abundantly.
    I've got a river of life flowing within me;
    It started gushing up when God set me free.
    That I keep the flow is my only plea.
    I've got a river of life springing within me.
    Once I call His name there's a flow within;
    It turns me from my day, makes Him Lord again.
    As my spirit burns, Satan cannot win.
    Calling, "Oh Lord Jesus," keeps the flow within.


    Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/ns/37#ixzz1wPr7nOhh

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  20. Oh, wow...I remember that Spring Up O Well song...man, does that bring back memories.

    Thanks for finding that, Lolita!

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  21. I am so frustrated and illerate about FB, I finally found you through your button, but cannot figure out how to be your friend.

    I want to be your friend, Lolita! LOL!! Please tell me how.

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  22. And I also don't see anywhere to comment...do you have it set up so people can't drop you a note?

    ReplyDelete
  23. Sorry, D. Most of it is Private because of so many predators.... Joke. I will add you, thanks for the interest.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your company. I am glad you are here. Your encouraging word is appreciated. It brings joy like a cool breeze on a hot day. GBU!