"The gift of God! the gift of God!
Who will buy the gift of God?" Such is the cry of the picturesque-looking water-carrier, as he goes about the streets of Egypt with his water-skin thrown over his shoulder, during the season of drought, when the water, from its preciousness, may well be called as it is, the gift of God; for, in their language, the two terms are used interchangeably to express the one thing, the gift of God meaning water, and water being the gift of God. During the heat, and before the Nile has overflowed its banks, the poor especially realize how valuable a thing it was when given in abundance, and recognize it emphatically as the "good gift" which "cometh down from above." As the water-carrier goes along his way—now coming into a wealthy part of the town—a rich man, thinking of the need of the poor, and wishing to bestow a kindness on them, steps out of his mansion, and pays the man for all the water he has, desiring him to go into the poorest quarter and give it away. The man gladly hastens off, and reaches a lane where the poorest have their dwellings, and now altering his cry, instead of saying, "Who will buy the gift of God?" he cries out:— "The gift of God! the gift of God!
Who will take the gift of God?" We can imagine how gladly the poor, thirsty ones gather around him, and how there would be no delay before the empty vessels were brought out of their houses to be filled. "Give me a drop!" "Remember me!" "Fill up my pitcher!" "Let me have a draught!" and such like eager appeals in beseeching tones would make the water-carrier think how best he could dispose of the precious liquid; and, while glad-dening him to be the bearer of so free and prized a gift, it would go to his very heart that he had not enough for all. What a grand picture we have here of the "water of life," which is offered "without money and without price," to every one that thirsteth. "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16. Jesus, our "rich man," has paid for the water for which our souls were dying of thirst; and as we have no money, it would be a hopeless case indeed, for us, if Jesus in his love and in his pity, had not thought of our need, and come, not only to purchase it for us, but actually to bring it with his own hands to our parched lips. But with Jesus there is enough, and to spare. The fountain of his grace never fails,—the stream of his grace is never dried up,—no one need be afraid of being sent away empty, for "every one" is invited; and it will never be exhausted till the last poor, thirsty sinner, who has felt his need, has come for an unfailing supply of the gift of God. "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water." John 4:10. "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4:14.—The Truth.