Water, Water: Where Would We Be Without Water?

Water. In a word, it’s ubiquitous. Scientists say 71 percent of the Earth is covered by water. And you and I are mostly water, too. The bodies of men are made up of 60-65 percent water; women are 50-55 percent water. No wonder wives sometimes think their husbands are all wet! 

We typically take water for granted even though we use it so much. Except when a water main breaks and suddenly we don’t have it. We drink it, bathe and shower in it, use it in cooking, wash dishes with it, swim in it, spray lawns and plants with it, mix it with lemons and sugar to make lemonade. We freeze it to cool our beverages and heat it to make coffee and tea.

 

Water’s our friend – until it isn’t. Horrendous floods in Texas, North Carolina and other parts of the country proved that. Hurricanes and blizzards (frozen water) aren’t fun. Riptides near the shore can ruin any beach experience. Good or bad, one thing about water is certain: It’s everywhere.

 

Recently I was reminded that water figures prominently in the Bible. My wife and I were reading Water from the Rock, a new devotional book by our friend, Betsy Zbinden. She observed, “Throughout Scripture we see how God used water in the life of His people to show His almighty power and control over the universe.”

 

We don’t have to read far to find water mentioned in the Bible. It’s introduced in the Creation account. Genesis 1:2 says, “…the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” Then in the sixth verse we’re told, “And God said, ‘Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water.’”

 

That’s barely ‘scratching the surface’ of what the Scriptures say about water. In Genesis 6 and 7 we read about the global flood God caused to destroy humankind that had become extremely wicked, sparing only Noah, his wife, three sons and their wives.

 

Moving forward, water played an important part in God’s deliverance of Israel from captivity in Egypt. He used Moses to turn water in the Nile River into blood, demanding that Pharaoh free the Israelites from four centuries of slavery. Then, once the Egyptian king relented, God parted the waters of the Red Sea enabling the Israelites to escape the pursuing Egyptian army. While they wandered in the wilderness, the Lord provided water for them from a rock.

 

There are too many other instances of God’s use of water in dealing with His people to include here, but it’s important to know water also played a key role in Jesus’ earthly ministry. While heralding the imminent coming of the Messiah – “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him” (Matthew 3:3) – John the Baptist was baptizing people in the Jordan River as they repented of their sins.

 

Jesus’ first miracle, recounted in John 2:1-11, was turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana when all the other wine had been consumed. (And it was better than the finest wine the host had purchased.)

 

Then, breaking cultural taboos, Jesus spoke compassionate, life-changing words to a Samaritan woman who had gone to a well at midday to obtain water, avoiding the judgmental stares of other women from Sychar. After asking, “Will you give me a drink?”, He told the startled woman, “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 4:7-10). Her testimony after this encounter led to many in her town coming to faith in Christ.

 

This essentially summarizes the heart of the Gospel. While people throughout history have depended upon water for their physical well-being, Jesus came to offer “living water” to ensure our eternal destiny.

 

We see an example of this in John 5:1-14, as Jesus was passing an invalid who for years had lain near a pool called Bethesda that people believed could bring healing if the water became agitated. “Do you want to get well?” Jesus asked him. The man replied, “Sir, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus gave him a simple command: “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” The man was cured immediately, picked up his mat and walked, causing much conversation and amazement among those who witnessed this miracle.

 

Later, when Jesus and His disciples saw a man blind from birth, water again came into play. After spitting on the ground to make mud, Jesus put it on the man’s eyes and directed him, “Go. Wash in the Pool of Siloam.” The man did as he was told and went home able to see for the first time in his life. This also provoked great discussion, including among the Pharisees, who investigated to learn how this miracle came about and who was responsible.

 

Near the close of this story, we discover the main point wasn’t Jesus using water as part of His miracle; He was presenting a deeper truth. Approaching the man afterward, Jesus asked, “‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Who is He, sir?’ the man asked. ‘Tell me that I may believe in Him.’ Jesus said, ‘You have now seen Him; in fact, He is the one speaking with you.’ Then the man said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped Him” (John 9:35-38).

 

Perhaps most startling of all was a night Jesus’ disciples were all in a boat heading for Capernaum when, “A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. But He said to them, ‘It is I; don’t be afraid’” (John 6:18-20). Similar accounts are given in Matthew 14 and Mark 6. 

 

Another time Jesus and the disciples were at sea when a furious squall came up, nearly capsizing the boat. Terrified, the disciples pleaded with Jesus – who had been sleeping – to do something. He simply commanded the waters, “Quiet! Be still!” and instantly it was completely calm. Understandably, the disciples asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!” (Mark 4:35-41).

 

Twice Jesus intervened after His disciples had spent an entire night on the water, fishing without catching anything. The stories are told in Luke 5 and John 21. He spoke just a few words and suddenly they had so many fish in their nets they couldn’t haul them into the boat.

 

The wonder of water! An average person can survive without water for approximately 3-5 days. Largely made up of water ourselves, we’re dependent upon water to live. In a far more profound way, the key to life spiritually is to drink of the “living water” – the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

As He declared on the final day of the Feast of Tabernacles in Judea, where many people had gathered, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (John 9:37-38). Feeling thirsty?

Spiritual Growth – A Matter of Inflow and Outflow

Growth in the natural realm can be a bit of a mystery. Take a boy for an example: As an adolescent he may be one of the shorter members of his class; then he hits the teenage years and shoots up 5-6 inches within just a few months. “What have you been feeding that kid?” friends might ask.

 

Or planting a garden, cultivating the ground and sowing seeds you hope will supply you with vegetables throughout the summer. For a while it might appear that nothing is happening – other than the growth of some pesky weeds. Then suddenly you see some sprouts, and within a matter of a few weeks you’ve got your own personal farm. How this growth occurs seems a bit mysterious; nature seems to work according to its own schedule.

 

Spiritual growth might be perceived as similarly mysterious. Some people seem to have a close walk with God, possessing a clear understanding of what the Scriptures teach and living it out every day in a fairly consistent manner. Meanwhile others are just muddling along. They attend worship services, may be part of a small group, even read their Bibles, but their growth seems stagnant or stunted.

 

What’s the difference?

 

It’s not such a great mystery. In presenting what’s sometimes known as the “parable of the shrewd manager,” Jesus Christ indicated it’s a simple matter of being faithful to use what we already have, whether it’s a little or a lot. He stated, “Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who can entrust you with true riches?” (Luke 9-11).

 

On the face of it, this is a teaching about stewardship of money and material riches. But as Jesus said, it also applies to “true riches” – eternal, heavenly treasures of which He said at another time, “where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:20).

 

What does it mean, as another translation expresses it, that “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones”? One thing it means is that if we are not willing to use and put into practice the spiritual truths and ‘riches’ God entrusts to us, He’s not inclined to provide us with more. Why should He give us more if we’re wasting what we already have?

 

There’s an encounter early in Jesus’ earthly ministry that seems to illustrate this. Speaking to a woman at a well outside the Samaritan city of Sychar, Jesus made this astonishing declaration after He had asked her to give Him a drink from the well: 

“If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would ask Him, and He would give you living water.” A bit later in this spontaneous conversation, He asserted, “…whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again…the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life” (John 4:7-14).

 

Initially, the woman had understood Him to be referring to actual water, good ole H2O. Then she realized the conversation had taken a spiritual turn. He was offering her “living water…springing up within for eternal life.” This evokes the image of a spring of water bubbling up and flowing outward, accessible to anyone who wants it.

 

Commenting on this passage, devotional writer Selwyn Hughes posed this question: “Do fresh springs flow out of us day after day? If not, why not? The answer is simple – there can be no outflow unless there is an inflow. This is the rhythm of the Holy Spirit – intake and outflow. If there is more intake than outflow, then the intake stops; if there is more outflow than intake, then the outflow stops.”

 

For years I’ve referred to this as “God’s Spiritual Sponge Principle.” Just like an actual sponge that’s become saturated must be squeezed out before it can soak up more liquid, as ‘spiritual sponges’ we’re allowed by God to absorb only as much of His truth as we’re willing to put to use in our everyday lives.

 

I like how Philemon 6 is expressed in an older edition of the NIV: “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.”

 

This doesn’t mean we need to grab our Bibles, find a street corner somewhere and start preaching from it to everyone who passes by. (Although it could, if God were to lead someone in that way.) But as 1 Peter 3:15 instructs, we’re to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

 

Another verse says every believer should be willing to “Preach the word, be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction” (1 Timothy 4:2).

 

‘But I’m not ready. I don’t know enough yet,’ someone might be thinking. Maybe that’s because that person hasn’t been faithful to share whatever biblical truth and understanding the Lord has already provided. As Philemon 6 suggests, as we’re “active in sharing [our] faith,” then we’re able to gain “a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” And as we learn more, we become better equipped to communicate what we believe.

 

Years ago, I had been trying to memorize a particularly lengthy Bible verse but couldn’t retain some portions of it. Then I decided to read and share it with someone I worked with – a non-believer. I didn’t do so to proselytize but figured it wouldn’t hurt for him to hear it. Before long, I found I could recite the passage verbatim; I’ve talked about it with other people many times since.

 

There are many ways of sharing our faith beyond personal evangelism. Talking about God’s Word with family members at home. Or telling our small group what a certain passage has meant to us. In a discipling or spiritual mentoring relationship, we’re doing the same when discussing the meaning and application of a specific verses or section of Scripture.

 

Any time we chat with others about what the Lord has been teaching us, or how He’s been working in our lives, it’s an opportunity to ‘squeeze our spiritual sponge,’ making room for God to entrust us with more of His “true riches.” Balancing the inflow and outflow.

‘Stay Hydrated, My Friend!’

Perhaps you recall the old beverage commercials where the dapper, gray-haired gentleman looks at the camera and urges, “Stay thirsty, my friend!” Well, no matter how distinguished he appears, how well-meaning, the fellow had it wrong. 

Because one key to good health is keeping properly hydrated. Medical science tells us the average human body consists of 60 percent water, with the brain and heart made up of 73 percent water, and 83 percent in the lungs. So if you’ve been working out, or feel rung out by stress, it might be good to hydrate to replenish your inner water supplies. When someone tells you, “You’re all wet!” that might be a compliment.

 

Just as the body requires physical
water, we also require water
for our souls.

Most of us think about drinking water when we feel thirsty – like when mowing the yard on a very hot, humid day, or during a break while playing an outdoor sport – but according to health experts, that might be too late. Staying thirsty, becoming dehydrated, can result in a variety of negative consequences.

My intent is not to offer physical health advice, but to point out there’s a parallel in the spiritual realm – even more critical. 

 

In the gospel of John, Jesus often speaks “living water” that is available to anyone willing to receive it. For instance, we see His encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. After asking that she give him a drink from an ancient well in the town of Sychar, He says, “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).

 

Confused, the woman observes, “Sir, you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?” To which Jesus replies, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:11-14).

 

Later, addressing a crowd in Capernaum, Jesus declares, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35). During His talk we call the Beatitudes, the Lord states, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). 

 

And speaking to a group of antagonistic religious leaders, Jesus boldly explains His meaning: “’If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive” (John 7:37-39).

 

Sounds like Jesus is talking about the importance of “spiritual hydration.” I’ve mentioned this before, and it’s not original with me, but the Christian life is not difficult – it’s impossible. The only way we can possibly succeed is through the power of Christ living in us spiritually, the “living water” He spoke of so often.

 

We might have the best of intentions, and even try really hard. But in our own strength, our efforts to live out the timeless truths and commands of the Scriptures amount to futility. But if we avail ourselves of the living water He provides, as Jesus said, “streams of living water will flow” out of us for the benefit of all who encounter us.

 

To experience this involves time with God every day. Not just Sundays, or even a couple of days a week in some formalized worship settings, but every single day. It requires prayer, time reading and meditating on the Scriptures, and reflecting on Him throughout the day. Talking to others about the Lord, when opportunities present, is especially effective for keeping the living water flowing.

 

There’s no secret formula, or steps 1-2-3 to follow, any more than your personal physician will dictate how often, when, and how much physical water you should drink every day. It’s just that we need the water – natural and supernatural – and to go even one day without it can be devastating.

 

It’s offered to every one of us – as Jesus said, “Whoever believes in Me.” We need only accept His gracious and unconditional offer of living water that will last forever. Stay hydrated, my friend!

 

Water – the Wonder We Take for Granted

Longtime residents of our city still remember the “Snowstorm of ’93,” when a severe overnight snowstorm dumped more than two feet of snow across much of our region. Frigid temperatures kept the snow from melting for days. With many of the local roads traversing rolling hills, transportation was almost impossible for anyone without four-wheel drive or all-terrain vehicles.

Power lines fell in many areas, knocking out power. Sub-freezing temperatures, combined with the snow and ice, turned even commonplace sights into the proverbial “winter wonderland.” One of the serious consequences was the loss of water for many residents. The simple acts of drawing water from a faucet, or flushing a toilet, became impossible until power could be restored to thaw frozen pipes.

For many of us, easy accessibility of
water leads us to take it for granted.

This hardship, however, came into perspective later as we pondered the plight of many that live in Third World countries. The idea of a “water company” for people in those nations is unheard of. It’s not unusual for men and women to walk for hours to retrieve small amounts of water, and even then there are no guarantees against impure, unsanitary water.

So the interruption in water service we experienced in 1993 was little more than a very temporary glimpse into the reality that countless millions of people around the world endure on a daily basis. It’s so easy to take water for granted. But it’s essential for life, and we dearly miss it when we don’t have access to it.

But this isn’t the only kind of water we desperately need. The Scriptures speak of it often, in both the Old and New Testaments. As the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, we read in Genesis 17 that they complained to their leader Moses about the lack of water. “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” they cried out. God miraculously provided water for the huge throng by directing Moses to strike a specific rock with his staff.

But this was no ordinary rock. It’s explained in 1 Corinthians 10:3-4, “They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ." This isn’t the only time, however, that Jesus is associated with life-giving water. Several times He used the term for Himself.

Passing through the town of Sychar in Samaria one day, Jesus encountered a disreputable woman who had come in the heat of the day to draw water from an ancient well. When Jesus unexpectedly asked the woman for a drink of water, she replied, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (John 4:9). She posed this question because in those days, Jews did not associate with Samaritans, and for a man even to address a woman like her was totally against cultural mores.

Jesus responded, “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). Then, referring to the well’s water, He added, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 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” (John 4:13-14).

Later, on the final day of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus made a similar reference. In rebuking the chief priests and Pharisees who so vehemently opposed Him, He declared, “'Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive” (John 7:38-39).

We’re presently in the middle of winter, often huddled in near-hibernation in our heated homes. But soon warm weather will return and we’ll resume outdoor activities, sometimes working up a sweat and building up a thirst. At those times we’ll be eager to grab a bottle of water, or find the nearest water fountain.

I wonder: Do we have such a thirst for the Living Water, the same eagerness to drink from what we could term the Fountain of Life, about which Jesus declared, “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst…will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life”? Do we, as He expressed it, "hunger and thirst after righteousness" (Matthew 5:6)?