Can you describe living water to another? Pictures to meditate upon.
Come all who are thirsty, come to the waters- Isaiah 55:1a
What waters? Do you know how to translate Jesus’ invitation?
Whenever I’ve talked to anyone about God, I’ve never started with a teaser of sorts, “If you knew the gift of God…” I’ve never told anyone to ask Jesus for a drink of living water. In terms of talking about God to people who do not know Him, I do not use that language that Jesus used. I wonder why not; and, I think I should try it because I want to be more like Him. He provoked people to ask more questions. He stirred curiosity.
One thing is certain, people are thirsty so it should not be hard to provoke people to inquire about waters that satisfy the soul. Jesus promises that for all who are thirsty, to come and receive “living water”.
John 4:10 Jesus answered her, “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.”
How is living water different than water? It is supernatural provision for our soul sent from above and given through Christ (John 4:10, John 7:37). The Spirit is living water meant to fill our souls; He is meant to be poured out for others to drink. How often have you poured him out? Increasingly I feel this challenge by the Holy Spirit to pour out.
John 7:38- 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
As part of arranging my life to prioritize ministry, I have been working part-time and relying on God to provide the rest. One of the part-time positions I took for 3+ months last year was for a large local employer, placed within a department of 100+ people. While in this position, I quickly saw it was one of God’s ways to open my eyes to a world of spiritual hunger and thirst. Addiction, physical pain, emotional distress, fear, anger, strain, brokenness, tears, spiritual confusion, etc were all part of what was communicated as I talked with patients. And while I could not talk with patients about God, I could talk to employees.
When asked by employees why I was working there part-time, I told people I had started a ministry for biblical meditation and prayer resources, and used the rest of my week for that ministry. Many had immediate curiosity. Several kept asking about it. One woman stayed persistent, continuing to be curious about God, prayer, church, my story, etc. God kept my “eye” on her in particular, that fountain within me that is meant to pour out living water for another to drink.
John 4: 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
I kept asking God to fill me, flow out of me and give her living water. She and I did not get a lot of time to talk because of how the schedules and breaks were set up. We just had small flashes of time; but I took minutes here and there to visit her cubicle, listen, and then pour out. In November, I left that job to start a different part-time job; but God kept her on my heart. Long story short, she has recently started coming regularly to my church with her daughter. Not only that, but she brought another woman from the department. That woman is also bringing her 2 daughters. The 3 teens are already attending a weekly youth group. Thirst.
Is your fountain clear? Is it filled? Is it flowing? Are you connected with the flow of the rivers of living water within? Are you drinking deeply?
Water that sits becomes stagnant, starts to smell, breeds bacteria, draws parasites, etc. Living water is meant to touch your deep well to cleanse, fill, and overflow.
Scripture says that deep calls to deep in the roar of God’s waterfalls, Psalm 42:7. The word translated as waterfall in our English scripture translation, comes from a word in Hebrew that really means a hollow water channel, most accurately a water spout or a gutter. Take a look at these 2 types of hollow water channels.
The idea of deep calling to deep is a soul crying of thirst, desperate to be filled. The writers of Psalm 42:7 are expressing deep thirst and downcast souls. One deep is calling to another deep.
God’s deep fills. God’s deep overwhelms and satisfies. God’s deep cleanses. God’s deep is supernatural life.
The 2 images above give dramatic context for the soul either being overwhelmed by God’s Heaven sent provision of living water or of being filled to flowing, no longer an empty hollow channel, but abundantly supplied.
If caught under a water spout in Northern Israel (where writers of Psalm 47 reference) , the sight and sound would most likely take your breath away. You would be enthralled, wanting to drink in the experience as long as possible. Waterspouts form over warm waters and land and most often are a much milder form of a tornado, more awe inspiring than fear inducing. I did a search on youtube for water spouts people have captured on video. This one above is amazing! Note their response of awe and amazement! This is the deep soul satisfying experience time with God is meant to be! Living water satisfying our deepest thirst!
In contrast, our deep traps us. Our deep waters hate us. Our deep waters will drown us. Our deep channels crack and become empty; we forsake Heavenly supply. Our deep waters require a cry for supernatural help and rescue.
Psalm 69:2- I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.
Psalm 69:14- Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
Psalm 18:16- He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.
Jeremiah 2:13- “My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken me,
the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns,
broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
If your gutter channel within or cistern is cracked and empty, a supernatural overflow and filling is what is desperately needed. Are you digging somewhere else, reaching for that which does not satisfy? How Jesus longs that we say “yes” to his always open invitation to “come to the waters”.
What is your thirst? What is your deep? Take it to God and ask to be filled. Ask Him to speak His Word over you. Envision the Holy Spirit hovering over your deep as He did in the beginning of time to create life and execute God’s perfect order. He puts disorder in order. For a picture on the Holy Spirit hovering, check out a previous blog. He lovingly hovers and broods with tender affection.
Once freshly filled, share your supernatural living water, pour out to others. They are thirsty; and more than we imagine, they want it.
John 4:15- The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
