Scripture Series: As the Hart Panteth Window Slider Card---Join Us for Anything Goes Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Happy Wednesday, everyone!  Wow, a couple of weeks passed, just like that!  Now, I am back to highlight another Scripture Word Art (free to download) featured in our Word Art Wednesday (WAW) Challenge site.  It comes from Psalm 42:1 which says, "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.” My Life Application Bible explains it wonderfully this way:  "As the life of a deer depends upon water, so our lives depend upon God.  Those who seek Him and long to understand Him  find never ending life."

Come to think of it, almost everything on earth need water to live/survive.  We don't need to go further than our own  (human beings) need for water.  It's no coincidence that we can survive longer without food but not so much without water.  Our body craves it and we can attest to that need especially on many summer days out in the sun or many hours of physical exertion.  But hear me on this---as much as our physical bodies need physical water, so thus our spirits.  Man's spiritual component needs the Living Water whose Source is Jesus Christ.  Gotquestions.org had a very interesting article on what Jesus meant when He spoke about the Living Water.  Here's what is says:

Jesus uses the phrase “living water” in two instances in the Bible. The first instance is found in John chapter 4. Jesus was tired and sat at a well while His disciples went into town to buy food. A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus asked her for a drink. The Samaritan woman was quite shocked because Jesus was a Jew, and Jews simply hated the Samaritans. Of course, she had no idea who Jesus was and asked Him how He could ask her for water since He was a Jew. (To find out the conflict between Jews and Samaritans, go HERE).

Jesus ignored the question and went right to the point, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water” (John 4:10). Notice that He does not say that He is the living water, but that He would give living water to her, and when she received it, she would never thirst again. Of course, that does not tell us what the living water is! For that, we must go to another passage of Scripture. In this case, Jesus is in the temple surrounded by a throng of worshippers. He suddenly cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scriptures said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:37–39, emphasis added).  

Here Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the living water. External influence of the Spirit had always been given in the conversion and sanctification of the Old Testament saints and prophets, but the gift of the Spirit who would indwell believers had not yet been received (Acts 10:44–45). So, though many people say that Jesus is the living water, Jesus Himself intended the phrase to mean the Holy Spirit who dwells in believers and seals them for salvation (Ephesians 1:13–14). It is the ministry of the Spirit, flowing out of a heart redeemed by God, that blesses believers and, through them, brings life and light to the world."

As much as we need the physical water for our bodies, humanity needs the Living Water (Holy Spirit) for our spiritual wellness.  As a believer (Born-again, John 3:3) in Christ, the Holy Spirit now lives inside of me.  He quenches every thirst---satisfying me today and forever.   Before I came to know Christ, I thought I would be satisfied by making something good of myself.  And yet the more I go after the desires of this world, the void in my heart kept increasing.  It was a hunger and a thirst for something more than this world could offer.  Isn't it curious that many people who have achieved great things in this life (wealth, fame, power etc.) whom we considered iconic took their own lives in the height of their careers?  It is obvious that joy, peace and righteousness which is ultimately and greatly  desired by many does not come from this world but from the throne of Almighty God.  Jesus invited people to drink from the wells of salvation 2,000 years ago and He is still calling on everyone today.  The Living Water is available for free to anyone who truly seek, believe and desires to know Jesus Christ.  Anyone who humbles himself before the Lord will not be turned away. No amount of money or worldly possession can equal its benefits in satisfying our thirst forever.  So my question is, how thirsty are you?   Isaiah 41:17-18 says, "“The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the LORD will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs."

For this Card, I used an image from Art Impressions Try' Folds called "Lake House"  and watercolored it using Tim Holtz Distress Inks.  The base is Kraft, cut and scored to make a 4.5 x 6 inches card (up to 7 inches with the fish tail banners).  The DP's are from My Mind's Eye and Recollections.  Other sentiments stamped inside are from Printworks.  I also used some washi tape for the fish tail and stapled it to the inside panel. Lastly, I added some glitters (Stickles-Crystal) and ran it through my sewing machine for some stitching. I saw a video on YouTube on how to make this long time ago but didn't get a chance to try it.  I'm so glad I stumbled upon it yesterday so, if you're interested, here's a VIDEO instruction on how to make this fabulous card fold.  I just customized my card to the size I wanted it to be.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 

 AS THE HART PANTETH WINDOW SLIDER CARD

 AS THE HART PANTETH WINDOW SLIDER CARD LAYERS

 AS THE HART PANTETH WINDOW SLIDER CARD MESSAGE SPACE

 AS THE HART PANTETH WINDOW SLIDER CARD WITH ENVELOPE

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Color Throwdown---Color Inspiration 
Crafty Creations---ATG 
Crafty Gals---2 or More Designer Papers
Creative Moments---ATG  
House Stamps Built---ATG
Inspiration Destination---ATG 
Simon Says Stamp---Furry Friends 
Crafty Addicts---ATG/Die-Cuts
Wonderful Wednesday---ATG
Crafty Sentiments---ATG 
Deep Ocean---Our Furry/Feathered Friends 
Digi Choosday---ATG 
Lemon Shortbread---ATG 
Retarte---ATG
Stinkin Inkers---It's Spring
TTCRD---ATG
Tuesday Throwdown---ATG 
Always Fun---ATG
Artistic Inspirations---ATG 
Colouring in Scrapland---ATG
Color Inspiration Monday---Colored Image
Crafting from the Heart---ATG
PIP---ATG
Simon Says Monday---Critters
Paper Nest Dolls---ATG 
 
Make sure you join us at WAW Challenge.  You can use the free Word Art in your creation and link it to our Challenge but is not a requirement.  As long as it's family-friendly, uplifting and inspirational, you can enter up to 5 times this week.  Wonderful prize to be won from our sponsor---Simon Says Stamp ($25 GC).  So excited to see what you come up with.  Anyway, meditate on the goodness of the Lord and rely on His promises. He is always good!