Christ our Eternal Fountain

A man heard a tale that there was a fountain that if you drank from it you would have eternal life. The man sold all of his possession, took out a loan and set out on this journey to find the fountain. All of his family said he was foolish, they called him ridiculous, but he wouldn’t let anything stop him from obtaining eternal life. He crossed the ocean, rode on horseback through a desert, and climbed the highest mountain, all in search of this fountain. He came to an old village high in the hills, and heard a man say that he was near the fountain. But the man said if you want to see it you’ll have to pay me. The weary traveler had no money, but said to the old man take me to the fountain, I will do anything just take me. The man told him if he worked for him for five years, he would take him. So the young man worked for the old man for five years, never once complaining, never once regretting his choice. When the five years were up, he went to the old man and said, please now take me to the fountain. The old man agreed, and they set off. A few days later, after traveling deep into the woods they came on a clearing. There a spring came forth, the man ran as fast as he could to the fountain. Before he took a drink, he thought about all he had given up just to be at this spot. He had given up his possessions, his family, his friends, his time, all for a hope, a dreamer’s chance at eternal life.

This is just an illustration; once he drank from the spring did he receive eternal life? Ask yourself that question. Have you not gone to the well that never runs dry, have you not received the drink? Some of us most certainly have, but if we have we have died to ourselves, we have given up everything and cast our hopes on something higher, and we have set our desires on Christ Jesus. It is strange when we compare ourselves to a certain rich young man in the Bible, who also was searching for eternal life.

“Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?’
“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”
“Which ones?” the man inquired.
Jesus replied, “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and lover your neighbor as yourself.”
“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.”
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”
(Matthew 19:16-22)

How many of us let something come between us and eternity? How many of us let something come between us and a personal and intimate relationship with God? The real heart wrenching part of this passage is when it says, “the young man heard this, he went away sad”. Why, because he just gave up a chance to follow Christ, the very thing he wanted most was eternal life and because of his unwillingness to give up wealth he denied himself what he wanted. The really pathetic part was he was just “sad”, to look at eternity and turn your back on it, is more than sad, it is devastating, depressing, and most of all a self condemnation, but he could not see this because of his “wealth”, he was just sad that he couldn’t have what he wanted.

*(I assume that those reading this are saved; if you are not, do not let eternity slip past you. Christ is “the way, the truth, and the life”; do not pass the chance to follow Him.)

For those of you who are reading this and are saved, if anything in your life such as worldly things are hindering you from following Jesus; if your unable to follow Jesus close up, being right with him; if you are struggling to keep up with the Christian Walk, examine what might be holding you back. What ever it is, bad relationship, possessions, thoughts, anything, let it go and hold fast to Christ’s hand and follow close. Don’t let your journey end by getting to the spring and never tasting the refreshing water, which is an eternity with God!

May the Peace of Christ be with you!!