Thirsty

Source:https://www.firstpreswh.org/daily-devotional/hungering-and-thirsting-for-god/ 

There are a lot of challenges that I have faced while living abroad (here in South Korea) and one of them is budgeting for my living expenses. Being alone abroad is difficult because you need to endure the problem and solve it on your own. Recently, we were informed that our allowance will be delayed for another week. Hearing this news, I was thinking how can I survive with only 4,375 won (185 pesos) in my bank account. I could only buy bread and 1 ramen with this money. With this, I decided to go to the grocery to buy bread and ramen thinking that I have still money. But when I went to the cashier to pay with my card it declined and I was wondering why I still have 4,375 won in my account. I was so embarrassed and apologized for what happened and just went outside the store. After arriving at my apartment, I checked my account and my KT mobile subscription just auto-debited my remaining balance for my monthly payment.  I was stressed because I don't have any money anymore, how can I survive for 14 days???

As I searched for a solution, I checked my cabinet and I still have 8 remaining eggs, 5 ramen noodles, and 1 sachet of protein powder. With these remaining food items for my survival for the next week, I prayed to God and ask for his provision, guidance, and protection to survive. I remembered what Jesus said in John 4:13: “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” Food and water intake will let us hunger and thirst for more. But the living water from God's well is infinite and we will be provided with it eternally. 

Even in hunger and thirst, I was reminded that I am not alone because God is there to watch over me and He will provide and sustain me every day not with food and water but from His living water that will quench our spiritual thirst. In Matthew 4:4, Jesus replied to Satan: “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." We may be hungry and thirsty and our body is longing for bread and water, but what energizes our soul is the word from the mouth of God, who will sustain us for the rest of our lives. Every time we are thirsty, always seek God's living water.

I did not share this circumstance with my friends here in South Korea because I know they are also struggling. But when my Filipina classmate ask me if we could go to our office and study together. I told her that I can't because I don't have money for lunch. I shared what happened to me the other day at the store. She was worried and offered to lend me money. I told her that no need I will get by with what I had because I still have food. But she insisted and quickly sent the money to my bank account. I realize that was God's answer to my prayer and my classmate was the instrument for me to sustain my basic needs for the next week.  

It was an unexpected blessing and I remembered what Jesus Christ said in Matthew 6:25-34:

Indeed, when we don't need to worry about anything. There are moments when we are thirsty, we are hungry, but man does not live by food alone but by the word that comes from the mount of God. Trust Him always and have faith. Submit to Him all your worries and cares and He will take good care of everything. 

With the Lord's comfort, we will not be thirsty nor hungry because we are always fed with His wisdom from the bible which sustains us every day until eternity. Praise God the Father!