(Cover art courtesy of Baker Publishing Group)

Anchored

Taken from Acres of Diamonds: Discovering God’s Best Right Where You Are by Jentezen Franklin. Copyright © 2020 by Jentezen Franklin. Used by permission of Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group. www.bakerpublishinggroup.com.

In 1895, Booker T. Washington delivered a speech in which he told a powerful story of a ship lost at sea for many days.1 The sailors on board this distressed vessel were without hope, exhausted from hunger and dehydrated to the point of death. Finally, someone spotted a boat far away. A signal was sent from the lost ship: “Water, water. We die of thirst.”

The other ship signaled back, “Cast your bucket where you are.”

The sailors were confused. Their signal was obviously being misinterpreted. They tried again. “Water, send us water.” The same response was delivered: “Cast your bucket where you are.” The dehydrated men were beside themselves with frustration. “We’re going to die of thirst because these people don’t understand what we’re trying to say!” Desperate, they signaled again. Same response. Then, a fourth and final time. Same response.

Finally, the captain of the lost ship said, “I don’t understand what it means, but we’ll die if we don’t try.” He took a bucket and let it down into the ocean. When he brought it up, the captain couldn’t believe his eyes. The bucket was filled with sparkling freshwater! What he did not know was that he was very near the mouth of the Amazon River, which deposits freshwater far into the ocean. All that these sailors had needed all along was right under them. Their thirst was satisfied.

Are you dry and thirsty? Do you desperately need life? You don’t have to seek comfort or satisfaction in another person. You don’t have to chase after another diamond. You don’t have to try whatever the world says can fix your problem. Right here, where you are, is a well of living water. His name is Jesus Christ. If you will just let down your bucket, you will find acres of diamonds in Him. Everything you need, every provision for your body, soul and spirit, is in Jesus.

Do you need joy? Do you need hope? Do you need faith? Do you need peace? Do you need a future? Let down your bucket. Undiscovered potential lies right before you. Even in your darkest hour, you can have living water in Jesus Christ. The key to finding this diamond is to get anchored in Him.

Find out more about Jentezen by visiting jentezenfranklin.org. To pick up a copy of his new book click the direct link here!