THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH IS REAL!

THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH  IS REAL!

   In grammar school we were taught about Juan Ponce de Leon, and learned that he was seeking the fountain of youth.  Later I thought this story was just a myth but it in researching it sounds correct as there is an archeological park in St. Augustine, Florida called the Fountain of Youth. The thinking concerning the fountain of youth, is that by drinking from it  youth would be restored and you would not grow old but enjoy eternal youth!  All you had to do was to continue to drink from the Fountain of Youth.  

     Many people carry so many agonies in this word without ever realizing the promise of the future, and a real Fountain of Youth. Here we marvelously declare that there is a real and even greater Fountain of youth readily and freely available to all men. He is the Giver of life and the nourisher of our souls and bodies, but what is supremely important is that Jesus Christ is the only Lover of all mankind! He offers everyone  not only the Fountain of youth, but the Fountain of eternal life. (The writer is 91 years of age, but always feels inwardly like a very young man – truly due to the Fountain of youth).   

     Here is the offer to freely drink of this divine and abundant fountain. He who speaks is the Living Fountain and Creator of heaven and earth and of everything that exists. He cries out to all the human race no one being excluded. We first must acknowledge that we are sinners who regret our past sins. Jesus Christ the Son of God is our Lord and our Savior, and came to be crucified to cleans us from our sins and free us forever from the power of the devil. He welcomes us with open arms, the arms of Almighty God, embracing and kissing us. He bestows upon each of us every blessing and lasting happiness. Christ welcomes us all with these sweet words offering us to drink from the Living Fountain of youth and the Fountain of life.

“If anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink.”

   Christ is much more than the Fountain of youth, being the Fountain of all life, the Fountain of exceeding happiness and the only genuine hope of eternal life and joy, as He says: “I am the way and the truth and the life. . .” Christ is the Fountain of truth and wisdom and in Him is found everything that man could possible desire! 

There is but a single requirement, we must approach Him with complete repentance for our sins and faith in Him as the Son of God, worshiping Him in His Orthodox Church. We certainly believe and go to  Him, for as Peter says: “Lord to whom else can we go? You have the words of life!” Christ is the Living Truth who came down from heaven and became the Godman, eternally being born of the Father, in time He descended and dwelled in the womb of the Virgin Mary and became a man. He offers everything man could ever need or desire, and man needs to escape the threat of eternal death and acquire eternal youth and life which only Christ offers: “Whoever believes in me shall never die.”

   God created man and some men so believe, while others come up with different and contrary ideas. However everything necessarily has a related cause and it is not possible to be sane and deny that God is the uncreated cause of all that exists. He set the sun in the heavens for heat and light, and the moon and stars to light up the night. Greens for feeding men and animals, all creatures both tame and wild, birds and serpents, lakes and mountains with valleys in between, rivers and streams with fish and other aquatic food. He supplies a continuous source of the air we breath, an abundant supply food we eat, and adequate water to quench our thirst and keep us alive; He gives us rest from our labor by sleep and recovery of our strength to work. He assured that we stay alive by endowing us with hunger and thirst and tiredness to induce our nourishment and sleep for rest for our weary bodies and souls. The Lord left out nothing so what are we waiting for, let us use our freedom well and go and thirstily drink from the Fountain of Youth, then, living an upright life begin immediately to enjoy eternal youth and life which never ends. Who could ask for anything more? Death hangs over everyone, but not those who drink from Christ, for He conquered death put death to death.  Therefore, there is no reason not to enjoy life and eternal youth and hope for our wonderful destination.

   We desperately need the Fountain of youth and life, for we are between the greatest of dangers and the greatest of hopes, between eternal life and eternal death. Without drinking of Christ there is no hope of eternal life but only the bitterness of being cast out into outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. When we drink of Christ, the Fountain of youth and Life, out of our bellies will flow rivers of living water as He promised the woman at the well. This living water is the Holy Spirit which Christ sent to man on the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, the Comforter who fills us with sweetness and joy.  For we reveal what Ponce de Leon sought but failed to discover, the Fountain of youth who is also the Fountain of life, Jesus Christ. With the grace of Holy Spirit we offer this Fountain to many others hoping to attract them to eternal life and everlasting hope.

     There is one important requirement to drink from the Fountain of Christ. Because He created us and gave us our being, and though we rebelled against Him. Instead of punishing us He offers a chance to be saved from separation from Him for ever, a fate that is worse than a thousand deaths, or union with Him for ever, a hope beyond a thousand hopes. Christ seeks proof of our love for Him, with these words:“If you love me keep my commandments.” Every commandment we keep shows our increase of love for Him, and proves that we are worthy of receiving His gift of eternal life. This life is not given as a reward for good works we have done by keeping His commandments, for there is nothing we could ever do to deserve such a blessing! Eternal life is given gratis out of God’s extreme goodness and  generosity and  perfect love for man.