Daily lesson for April 24, 2015

Today's daily lesson comes from Psalm 105 verse 41:

"He opened the rock, and water gushed out;
it flowed through the desert like a river."

Within each human soul there is a rock, that when struck has within itself a great rush of living water which is human flourishing.  In various religious traditions the water within has been called "charisma" or "awakening" or "enlightenment" or "the Spirit of God".  It gushes forth, slaking our deepest thirsts and spilling out to water not only ourselves but also both the people and the place around us.  It is the water of pure joy. And the rock where the water is found is the Christ (1 Cor 10:4) -- eternal, universal, and waiting to be tapped in every human being.

The unleashing of the water in the rock cannot be manufactured. We cannot drill for it.  We cannot discover it. In some sense it must discover us. It must be revealed as to where it is. As the LORD said to Moses, "Strike the rock."  Before that moment, the rock looked just like all other rocks -- massively solid and impenetrable.  But once revealed, the rock is discovered to be the capstone entryway to life abundant. We cannot find this rock ourselves; we do not need to find this rock ourselves. All we need to do is trust that it is present and that when we are thirsty enough (that is to say, ready) its capstone will be revealed and its water will gush forth.  This may happen while reading a book, or hearing a sermon, or being struck suddenly by some new insight.  But once found, then suddenly it is seen that every rock around us. (that is, each human soul) has the same hidden water within.

Once opened, the rock's water is a constant source of life. It spills forth and turns a desert into a fertile field and makes what once was a wilderness blossom with love and beauty. It is a blessing to all around. It is living water.

At the festival which commemorated the Israelites' journey through the wilderness and how God provided them with water from the rock, Jesus "stood and said in a loud voice, 'Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.'"  This wonderful invitation must be heard!  Even in the desert the water is present. It is alive. It is within. All we have to do is hold out and wait for its Christ-rock source to be revealed.  And once the Christ-rock is opened, the water is for anyone who is thirsty is invited to come and drink, live, and flourish.