Who Is Thirsty?

It hardly needs mentioning that thirst represents a longing for truths. The Writings say much about people who have a longing for truths. They are willing to think, question, discuss, doubt and debate. They are willing to dig deep, seek answers, not trust appearances but instead find the genuine, deeper truths. They long for and pray for enlightenment, searching the Word for themselves and not relying on human traditions. They want truths for the sake of life’s uses—to meet their own needs and even more the needs of others.

To thirst is to eagerly desire what is true. (Secrets of Heaven 4958)

Coming to drink is the affection for truth, because it involves thirst; for thirst in the Word means appetite and desire, and thus the of Heaven affection for knowing and imbibing truth, and this is because water means truth in general. (Secrets of Heaven 4017)

Bringing water to the thirsty stands for giving instruction in truths to one desiring them, and so refreshing the life of their soul. (Secrets of Heaven 8568.5)

Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst. But the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.” (John 4:13, 14)

Jesus said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37-38)

Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price… For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth,… so shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please. (Isaiah 55:1, 10, 11)

Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew. (Deuteronomy 32:2)

As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. (Psalm 42:1-2)

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God, “That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, but shall not find it. In that day the fair virgins and strong young men shall faint from thirst.” ( Amos 8:11-13)

O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. (Psalm 63:1)

The affection for truth has no other origin than good, the affection coming from there also; for by itself truth has no life but acquires it from good. Consequently when someone feels an affection for truth that affection does not originate in the truth but in the good which flows into the truth and creates the affection itself. This is what is meant at this point by the reciprocation of that affection in order that it might be instilled. It is well known that there are many within the Church who feel an affection for the Word of the Lord and put a lot of effort into reading it; but those whose end in view is to learn about what is true are only a few. The majority cling to their own dogmas, and are anxious only to confirm these from the Word. These people seem to be moved by an affection for truth, but they are not. The affection for truth exists solely with those who love to learn about truths, that is, to know what is true, and who search the Scriptures with that end in view. Nobody is moved by this affection except one who is governed by good, that is, one who is governed by charity towards the neighbour, and more so who is governed by love to the Lord. With people of this kind good itself flows into truth and creates the affection, for the Lord is present within that good. (Secrets of Heaven 4368)

Those with the affection for truth think about, question, and discuss whether a thing is true, whether it is so. And when they are convinced it is true, or is so, they think about, question, and discuss what it is. Thus they remain rooted on the doorstep and cannot be admitted into wisdom until they no longer have any doubts. (Secrets of Heaven 2718)

No one is ever instructed by means of truths, but by means of the affections for truth; for truths apart from affection do indeed come to the ear as sound, but do not enter into the memory; that which causes them to enter into the memory and to abide in it, is affection. (Secrets of Heaven 3066)

But those with a genuine affection for truth, that is, those who desire to know truths to put them to good use and for the sake of the life they ought to lead, they too keep to the teachings of the Church, until they reach the age when they begin to think for themselves. Then they examine the Scriptures and pray to the Lord for enlightenment; and when they receive it, their hearts rejoice. (Secrets of Heaven 8993.4)

The Word should be searched with devout prayer to the Lord for enlightenment. (Secrets of Heaven 5432.5)

They found themselves without enlightenment and therefore prayed for it. And light then shone down from heaven. (Apocalypse Revealed 962.2, True Christianity 188)