The process begins with a formula called 7-X, of which the legend goes only
two people know in the entire world. A written copy is placed in a vault for
safe keeping, of which only these two men know the combination. They are never
seen together, never fly together, and are trusted with the formula for the most
popular and famous soft drink in the history of the world, Coca Cola. Such was
the story as told to us years ago. From there it is made into a concentrate,
again guarded, and distributed to the bottlers in 55 gallon drums. Then the
bottler adds bottling sugar, filtered water, making syrup, and it goes into the
packaging to the end user, the one who hoists the cold Coke. From 6.5 ounce
bottles, the one time standard, to being sold as post mix to be mixed with water
at a 5-to-1 ratio, there simply is how the Coke you drink is made. From that 55
gallon drum of concentrate, you can end up with over 300 gallons of syrup, or
almost 8000 Big Gulps. The original formula still intact, the major difference
is water. Just add water to the concentrate and mix it into syrup, which some
old time pharmacies still sell over the counter as a stomach remedy, to a
different old time fountain adding a few squirts into a paper cup in its holder,
then adding carbonated water, stirring and you have the old time fountain Coke.
Things are much different today, as the syrup is no longer in 5 gallon tanks,
but in boxes of 5 gallons called Bag in the Box, with one quick connect hooking
it up to the dispenser. Just so we can be refreshed....
I can remember grabbing a newly bottled Coke from the bottling line on a
hot day, bottled at a perfect 34 degrees, and having it burn all the way down.
Refreshed, but still thirsty, caffeine makes you thirsty, and also gives the
cola nut flavor, then grabbing a cold bottle of water. Coca Cola even sang that
“Coke refreshes you best,” and it does, but nothing beats cold water to quench
your thirst. The procedure for us was always grab the Coke, or two, then head
for the water fountain. It seems that a body made up of almost 70% water can
only be satisfied with water, but Coke comes close. But we’re still
thirsty.
In scripture, water often refers to the holy spirit. How it is refreshing
water, and Jesus told us of how the woman at the well would thirst again for
water, but once she had the spirit of the Lord, she would thirst no more. The
holy spirit, the third part of the trinity, the third person who points us to
Jesus, who told us we needed him when we were lost, and who comforts us and
guides us today. The most evident in our lives today, but also the most
misunderstood and credited. We know God is the father, Jesus his son saves, but
we forget to credit the spirit for giving us life. Equal but different, whose
presence you can sense spiritually, but who you will never see, he was there at
the beginning with Jesus, who gave life and form to a world formed by God when
it was void and without form. Just as the spirit gave life to the world back
then, he still gives life to us and our world today. Maybe best expressed from
a chorus in a Keith Greene song, “thank you oh my father, for giving us your
son, and leaving your spirit till your work on earth is done.” The same spirit
who Jesus said he would leave with us until he returns. And yet we hardly know
him, or of him.
So it only makes sense that the one who comforts and refreshes is referred
to as living water in the Bible. The one who can only satisfy our spiritual
needs, who acts in our behalf, who is given to us at salvation. Who lives in
us, but is rarely called upon. The one we ask to enter into us in corporate
prayer, neglecting the fact he is already and always with us, we left him, he
never leaves us. Religion got that one turned around. But unlike Coke claiming
to be the real thing, he is the real thing, there is none like him in the
world. All the things we attribute to God and Jesus he is. Jesus saves, by no
other name can we be saved, but who was it that told us we needed Jesus? Who
stood with us, still does, guides and comforts us? Who counsels us, who shines
in our life and gives us life? Yet remains as big a secret among believers as
7-X. Don’t you think maybe we should introduce ourselves to him and get to know
him better?
God is a spirit and must be worshipped as such scripture
declares. No man has ever seen God, very few men have seen Jesus. To be an
apostle, one criteria is you must have seen Jesus. But to all upon salvation,
we are given his spirit. Who allows us to worship the father, be forgiven by
the son, and never thirst. Don’t you think we need to spend more time in the
spirit, and with him? For he too, never leaves us or forsakes us. Yet so few
know him, and even less know about him, and we call ourselves Christians. Right
now you can experience the spirit first hand, up front and personal. That
still, small voice described in the Word is him, he never forces himself on you,
but is always listening and talking, intervening on our behalf. Thirsting for
more of the things of God, just add water, his spirit. And thirst no more.
With no side effects. He is the beginning, and the end product, and all our
in-betweens. Just by adding the spirit to our lives, we can drink of
everlasting water and be refreshed. A secret that has never been hidden from us
by God, and who unlike the two men who are trusted with the formula for 7-X,
travels with us always. Something to consider while ordering a cold Coke on a
hot day, or any day. Who knows just what to order for you, and has prepared it
already. If he can give a new world form, who can give life to something devoid
of it, imagine what he can do for just one person, you, when you just add
water. In the beginning was the word, so next time when asked “are you in the
word?” reply “is the word in you?” As a true Christian, it should show, do we
really need to ask?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com