God’s Water

Both the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" Anyone who hears should say, "Come!" And the one who is thirsty should come. Whoever desires should take the living water as a gift. - Revelation 22:17 (HCSB)

Water is an important feature, appearing some 722 times in the Scriptures. For obvious reasons in the Middle East, water is often used in the Bible to illustrate the concept of life.

It is cited as the first place that life occurred.[1] Taking the common element of pregnancy that we call the “water breaking”, Jesus used water as a metaphor to contrast physical birth with spiritual rebirth[2].

The Scriptures themselves are described metaphorically as water that is appropriate for the cleansing of the soul[3]. When we struggle in our thought lives, we should take a bath in Scripture. We should read it, memorize it and apply it to our lives. Much like a shower, it doesn’t do any good over in a corner. Until you apply the water of the Word to your life, you still stink!

Water also speaks to us of purification. In the Old Testament, we are told that a brass laver filled with water stood between the Tabernacle and the altar[4]. The priests were to wash their hands and feet in it, or they would die[5]!

The same need for daily purification was reiterated by Jesus when He taught the disciples through the illustration of foot washing[6]. The disciples had already had baths, and only needed to have their dusty hands and feet bathed. Similarly Christians, though spiritually bathed at the moment of salvation, need daily upkeep to their souls.

We are told by the prophet Ezekiel that there is coming a day when Israel will be brought back into God’s fold through sprinkling of water that brings cleansing from their wandering ways[7]. This gives not only Israel, but all adopted Israelites[8] great hope, not only the hope of seeing that beloved nation reunited with her God, but also the hope of cleansing from sin for those who repent and return to the Merciful One[9].

As the river ran through the Garden of Eden[10], watering its lush banks, so the Holy Spirit waters our souls[11], making our lives ripe with possibilities.

God longs to give us this gift. His call goes out to all the earth[12]. But instead we dig our own wells – broken wells that hold no water[13]. But Jesus continues to call saying, “But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again--ever! In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life."[14]

Why not quit digging and start dipping deep into the well of spiritual life that the Son of God made available to you[15]?

[1] Genesis 1:20
[2] John 3:5
[3] Ephesians 5:26; Psalm 119:9
[4] Exodus 30:18
[5] Exodus 30:19-20
[6] John 13:9-10
[7] Ezekiel 36:24-38; Romans 11:11
[8] Romans 2:29; 11:17-18, 23
[9] Hebrews 10:22
[10] Genesis 2:10
[11] Isaiah 12:2-3; John 4:13-14
[12] Isaiah 55:1
[13] Jeremiah 2:13
[14] John 4:14
[15] John 4:10