Easter has a way of spinning my thoughts in several directions. This year, I find my mind drifting towards a few of Jesus’s last words. “I am thirsty!” (John 19:28). Our bleeding, suffering Savior, hammered to a cross, was thirsty. The one known as the “water of life” had none. Though he did not intend his words to solicit help for his thirst. Instead, Jesus spoke these words to fulfill prophecy! “The roof of my mouth is as dry as a piece of pottery; my tongue sticks to my gums. You set me in the dust of death” (Psalms 22:15).

I have meditated on Jesus’s words, along with the prophecies made hundreds of years before his death. When I juxtapose the two, I’m led down several pathways.

Jesus made it abundantly clear that he is the promised Messiah! John 19:29-30. Not even his further suffering stopped him from fulfilling the scriptures. He knew exactly what those committed to his torture would give to his plea of thirst. Jesus received just enough of the sour wine so that every word prophesied left no doubt. He alone understood and could accomplish the prophecy. With every prophesied word pointing only to the Christ, he then declared, “It is (finished) completed!” (John 19:30). Three words representing just one in Greek, tetelestai, used commonly by merchants to mean, “the price is all paid!”

Has your mouth ever been so dry you couldn’t muster up even a smidgen of spit? Mine has. Often, however, I wonder how parched I am for Christ? What crowds into my life, squelching thirst for my savior? Unlike what Jesus experienced, he never denies us physical water or spiritual water. Water, as we know, is our source of life. No water. No life. The same is true of our spirit; no spiritual water, no spiritual life. 

Our savior became thirsty, so that he might fulfill scripture in our lives too!

In the Beatitudes we read, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6). Righteousness is not something we earn but given to us through faith in Jesus Christ. (Galatians 2:21) It places us in a right relationship or standing with God. However, receiving God’s righteousness is one thing, walking in it another.

Throughout the gospels we see Jesus confronting those who view themselves as righteous while conducting their lives full of hypocrisy and wickedness. In Matthew 23:1-36, Jesus gives us quite the mouthful of what the unrighteous do!

Whereas the righteous don’t live by a set of rules; they live guided by their faith (Galatians 3:11) and the call of Christ! Who tells us to seek justice, mercy, and walk in faithfulness (Matthew 23:23). To love God and love our neighbor (Matthew 23:39-40). “To feed and clothe the needy, help the sick, visit those in prison” (Matthew 25:35-36). “The righteous person hates anything false, but the wicked person acts in shameful disgrace” (Proverbs 13:5). And they, “Remember those in prison as if you were right there with them” (Hebrews 13:3). For a further look at the understanding of righteous and righteousness, read through the Psalms and Proverbs, where you’ll find over 200 verses.   

Look at that list. Did you notice how much a righteous life focuses on others and not on us? It’s wonderful to possess the righteousness of Christ through faith, but like my recliner, my faith can become too easy and comfortable. Righteous living requires action!   

I think too many believers feel dissatisfied with life. They hunger and thirst after the wrong things and grow weary. Christ offers a better way. He promises to give us a satisfying life! (Matthew 5:6)

A satisfaction that isn’t temporary. “Jesus replied, “Everyone who drinks some of this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks some of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, but the water will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14).

What kind of water are you drinking? Are the living words of Christ being realized in your life through his Holy Spirit?

His sacrifice reminds me of what it means to thirst after him. I want to speak the same words my Savior spoke. “I am thirsty!” Thirsty for righteous living, thirsty for his living water, thirsty for satisfaction in Christ alone.

I love Easter Sunday! My excitement in celebrating the Savior’s resurrection makes me burst with praise and gratitude! Though without the Savior’s thirst and suffering three days prior, there is no living water! No promise of resurrection for you or me.

So, as you stand there this Sunday with hands lifted or not, ask yourself, just how thirsty am I? Can you identify with this verse? If not, why? “As a deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God! I thirst for God, for the living God. I say, “When will I be able to go and appear in God’s presence?” (Psalm 42:1-2).

They denied our Savior even a drop of satisfying water. Yet, he offers us cups that overflow and never run out of life-giving spiritual water. (Psalm 23:5) And though it cost him more than we can imagine, he offers it to us for free! 

“And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say: “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wants it take the water of life free of charge” (Revelation 22:17).