“You Know What They Say….You Can Lead A Horse to Water, But You Can’t Make Him Drink!”

By Lou Yeboah

Now most, “Americans” know what that means. On a theological level, the phrase can be translated as, “You can lead someone to God’s Truth, but you can’t make that person embrace and live according to those principles and values.”  You can show someone something that will benefit them, but you can’t force them to accept it. People, like horses, will do as they will. The problem with that is, as a good English Proverb says, “He that neglects the occasion, the occasion will neglect him.” Case in point. Jesus says, “Because you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock you when calamity overtakes you— when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. “Then you will call to Me, but I will not answer; you will look for Me, but you will not find Me [Proverbs 1:24-28].  Be appalled, O heavens, at this, be shocked, be utterly desolate, says the Lord, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the Fountain of Living Water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water. [Jeremiah 2:12-13].

You know, as I thought on this text, it reminded me of where I was when the Lord found me. Just like the Samaritan woman in the Book of John chapter 4, I was looking for something I did not have. I was drinking from every well I could find, but none were satisfying the thirst in my soul. When I met Jesus Christ, and He offered me a drink from His well, I found out that there was more than water in His well. What did He offer? He offered satisfaction and salvation for my soul. He offered me the opportunity to have all my sins forgiven. He offered me the opportunity to be right with God. He offered me the opportunity to miss Hell and go to Heaven when I die. What was the catch? There was no catch! All He requires from me and you, is everything! [John 7:37-38]. He wants you to come before Him, confessing yourself a sinner and calling on Him by faith. He wants you to take His death on the cross as the payment for your sins. He wants you to believe what the Bible says about Him and He wants you to accept it all on the basis of faith, [Romans 10:9]. If you are saved, let the Lord remind you how good He has been to you in redeeming your soul. If you are lost, answer Him as He calls you to come to Him and drink of His well, because every human effort of quenching your thirst apart from God will not bring satisfaction.

I admonish you, quench your thirst by drinking from the Fountain of Living Water. Understanding that Grace is God’s unmerited favor and it goes beyond mercy. Mercy is God not giving us the punishment that we deserve for our sins. Don’t hesitate to drink from the Fountain of Living Water, because when men have gone beyond the time of Gods mercies, and out-rowed the tide of Gods forbearance, and will not return, the Lord sets it down with Himself, that His wrath shall return upon them. He will no longer forbear: as [Hosea 9:15] reminds us, “There was a time wherein God did pitied them, but now He will not pitied them any more; twenty five years He called unto them and sought to bring them home; but because they stood out and refused, the Lord saith, I will love Ephraim no more.”

The Spirit is inviting you. Jesus is inviting you.  There is a river of Living Water flowing all around you, that will quench your deepest thirsts and desires. There’s a satisfaction beyond anything words can describe. All you have to do is drink of the Living Water.  It will change your life forever!  We wasn’t meant to live our lives with dehydrated hearts– recognize your need for the Living Water, Jesus Christ. As the Coca-Cola slogan says, “Obey your thirst,” and saturate yourself with water that lasts–water that only Jesus can supply.

Wisdom crieth without, she uttereth her voice in the streets. going up and down the City from street to street, and from door to door, crying his commodity, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. [John 7:37-52].

“And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” [Revelation 22:17].