"As cold waters to a thirsty soul so is good news from a far country."
Proverbs 25:25
“As cold waters to a thirsty soul,”
Growing up in the south-eastern United States I understood hot sticky humid summers. But not being in the arid western US since early childhood, I didn’t understand dry heat at all. As a teen, my family traveled one summer through the western states including a short stay in Moab, Utah. That afternoon we went to Monument Valley and did some exploring. The heat didn’t seem overly oppressive as I spent time climbing sandstone walls and hiking in the desert. In a short while, my mouth was dry, and my throat parched. I didn’t seem to be sweating, but my shirt had dry salt crystals caked on it. And was I thirsty! Thirsty in a way I had not been before. Water! How refreshing that cold water was to my dry throat!
“So is good news from a far country.”
In a world so full of “bad news,” it is a great blessing to hear “good news.”
“As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters,” (Proverbs 25:13).
“Good news” refreshes our soul and encourages us. It is something we long to hear.
It is interesting that this phrase “good news”1 is only used once in all the Bible, and it is in our verse for today. However, in the New Testament, there is a word that means “good news,” and it’s used at least 104 times in its pages. You know the word “Gospel.” It means “good news,” and it speaks of the best news in all the world. This news tells us how we can have our sin forgiven, how we can be lifted out of the miry clay and our feet set on the solid rock. In fact, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only power on earth that can change the human heart. Now that is good news!
Here is the short version of the Gospel as shared by Paul.
“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
Christ has done for lost man, what he could never do for himself. He paid our sin debt that we may be forgiven and become a child of God!
We as God’s children have the privilege of giving refreshing, life-changing news to a world that has been dried by sin. Let’s be faithful to share these words of life with those we know and meet daily.
Who will you share the Gospel with today?
1. This is in the King James Version.