Living Water

On my recent trip to Liberia, I stayed in a community with no running water. And let me tell you, you come to appreciate water in a whole new way.  During these two weeks, I couldn’t take water for granted; it was a precious commodity.  At home, I can simply turn on my faucet, I can stand in my hot shower as long as I want, and if for some reason my water is not working, I consider that a major problem.  But here in this place, every drop of water I used was retrieved from a well, carried by bucket, and hand delivered to my room.

Needless to say, I learned a few new tricks.  I can now take a bucket bath with the best of them – with a surprisingly little amount of water.  And I can even wash my hair pretty quickly.  Not to mention I can “swoosh” water in the just the right way to quickly flush a toilet.

But what I really learned was a much deeper lesson.  Often the more of something you have, the less value you place on it. Because I usually have an abundant supply of water, I am quick to take it for granted.  In the same way I don’t always appreciate physical water, I can be quick to take spiritual things for granted.

It is interesting how many references in the Bible illustrate spiritual life with water.  Just one example is in John 4 when Jesus has a conversation with a woman standing by a well.  This woman worked hard for every drop of water that she used or consumed.  So when Jesus began talking about living water, her mind quickly went to the work of drawing water.  How could this man draw living water from the deep well?  He didn’t even have bucket.  Jesus helps her see she has more then a physical need for water, she has a spiritual need for this living water.

Just like my house can provide a constant flow of water, I have a spiritual abundance through Jesus.  The scary thing is, often I let Jesus become common place. Because I have easy access to Bible teaching, Christian friends, worship music, and so many other spiritual opportunities, I can forget the value of my relationship with Jesus.  I forget to spend time in His presence, soaking in His Word, and drawing from the deep spiritual well.  I forget that living water is essential for spiritual life.

Thankfully, God is always calling us to come back to Him and to go deeper with Him.  I love what Hosea says, “He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, that we may live before Him. So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD.  His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain water the earth.” (Hosea 6:2-3 NASB)

---

Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up into eternal life.”
John 4:13-14 NASB

But an hour is coming and now is, when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.
John 4:23-24 NASB