Before the age of earth, they witnessed the creation of the cosmos both seen and unseen. They saw how the Almighty created, nurtured and ruled all things. They beheld His indescribable beauty and light, His wonderful kindness and power, His glory.

You see, God is far greater than we have the ability to imagine. He’s not a soothsayer; He’s not looking forward in time. He’s not just knowing all things; all things exist in and because of Him.

Whenever it dawns on you that you’re trying harder but actually just warming yourself by the enemy’s fire, remember what Peter learned. Remember Christ’s love. Remember this life, called Christianity, is NOT about you, your reputation, your glory, your ‘ministry’, your efforts. It’s simply a matter of trusting obedience to His will.

Aren’t you glad that Christ is eternally good and loving? This is an eternal union, which as far as we know is not offered to the angels and it may even be what was behind the plan for man from the beginning:

So, what the Holy Spirit is teaching us in this is that it is critical to ‘take in’ Jesus, to take Him into our souls, our inner man. It’s a spiritual lesson!

Clearly, the rivers here (also torrents, floods) of living water represent the Holy Spirit, but most believers think of the Spirit as being received as in verse 39. However, Jesus spoke of it as pouring out of our heart as a torrent or flood. So, it’s a gift to us and a gift through us. Let’s consider both these actions to see what we can glean.

He wants a burning heart. He’s looking for a heart filled with joyful discovery of Who He is and the solid, everlasting realization of His Being.

You see, contrary to modern ‘theology’, Jesus wasn’t just a good man, wasn’t just a prophet, wasn’t even just a Savior; the power of His love and purity was so great that He did all that we could see with our eyes that was miraculous AND what we couldn’t see - He carried all of our sin (and its consequences) with Him to hell (where it belongs).

Although He was the victim of victims, the ultimate victim of all time because He was faulted for all our sins. But He never acted like a victim because He knew He was the Victor, the Victor over death and He used that status to minister mercy and grace to Peter.

What did she touch? The word used in the Greek for “hem” referred to a tassel, but in two accounts, Jesus specified “Me”. That is, Christ knew she had contacted Him, His inner being, not simply His garment. He explained,

“Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” (Luke 8:46)