Rain nourishes the growth of bountiful leaves across the earth. Each world culture harvests, dehydrates, and threshes its own into an assortment of teas. A vast selection of aromas and flavors surround us, each providing a unique and valuable contribution. A cup of tea offers delight to be savored often as a part of life’s abundant joys.
Satisfaction beyond a sniff requires infusing dried teas with water and energy. Waterless tea remains impotent to soothe the senses or offer medicinal value. Tea’s value and effectiveness depends upon pure water.
When thirsty, we often reach for tasty options such as iced or brewed tea. Soon after imbibing these, we thirst again. If we drink water less often than other refreshments, our bodies suffer the effects of dehydration. Though teas and other liquids offer some benefits when blended with it, pure water remains the sole resource to hydrate our bodies toward optimal health.
Our souls thirst for love, healing, and identity. We often seek others grown upon the earth to ease our yearnings. When infused with the power and nature of the Spirit, people can provide delightful and refreshing benefits to our lives. Human comfort cannot replace Christ. Without the Lord’s refreshing presence, our souls lack vital hydration and thirst escalates.
“If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water…whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:10,14
I love this insight. Getting refreshed with something just a little bit off keeps us from the best–the refreshment of God.