All Dried Up

“Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’””
‭‭John‬ ‭7:38‬ ‭

They don’t look like much.

Some of you may not believe me when I tell you all that stands between these dried out lumps and gorgeous flowers is time, soil – and water.

In fact, water is the very first step.

These are gladiolus bulbs. Corms, to be precise. They went dormant last fall when the greenery was chopped off and they were placed in a dark cool room for storage over the winter season. With time, they shrivelled. Last year’s corm dried out completely and needed to be pulled away.

Things look bleak. There is not a sign of life anywhere.

Into the tray of water they go.

Sitting in water in a sunny window will be just the ticket. In a few days, tiny white roots will start to pop out of the bottom of each ‘puck’. Once there are multiple roots and those roots are able to siphon water right into the corm, the magic will happen.

Green leaves will poke right through all that dead looking brown material, and voila!

A gladiola will come to life.

And let me tell you – glads make people – well, glad. They are bold. Colourful. Stunning, in fact. They make fantastic bouquets. They bring a serious dose of cheer to any space.

Which brings me to you. And I, and anyone who yearns for not being all dried up in this one wild life we’ve been given.

Life can be rather harsh, no?

(Not sure if you’ve noticed that yet…)

Back to life being harsh.

Sometimes things don’t turn out the way we planned. Sometimes we get hit with a u-turn or a do not enter or just a stop, and we are left to pick up the pieces the best we can.

We feel all dried up.

We need a source of water, so to speak, to replenish our resources, slake our thirst, and bring us back to life.

Enter Jesus.

Jesus, whose conversation with a lady dragging around a nasty reputation revolutionized her entire existence when He promised her ‘living water’.

Living. Water.

As in, water to bring what is all dried up back to life. (Think brown shrivelled gladiola corms and the glory that happens when they are placed in their own version of living water.)

See, Jesus is able to offer us this revolutionary gift because He loved a perfect and sinless life among sinful people, and then sacrificed His own life as a replacement for our dried up sorry fate.

Living water.

Don’t you just want to sink your toes right in? Grab a straw and slurp? Or dive face first into that delectable life offer?

For all you who are feeling all dried up today – there is hope.

Hope for peace. Hope for more. Hope for what you were actually made for.

Hope for glory.

Dive in with me?

Father, You alone are the source of what our hearts most crave. You alone are the way to abundant life. Teach us to drink deeply at the well of Your comfort, love, and provision. Amen.