Mark spoke this morning about fountains of blessing available from God. Fountains generally involve water and are sometimes ornamental:
Sometimes they are coordinated with lights:
Sometimes children play in them:
Sometimes we even enjoy food fountains!
In the Bible, fountains were natural springs of water, essential for drinking and washing, and the positioning of these determined where people lived. Deut 8:5-10 talks of the good land God intended to give His people: ‘a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills‘ (Deut 8:7), representing His desire to bless people with all that is good for us. Nowadays, we have plumbed water into our homes, but we still need God’s blessing and He still has an endless supply of blessing to pour out on us.
Joel 3:18 says ‘In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house and will water the valley of acacias.‘ Whilst this is clearly figurative language (mountains do not really drip wine or hills flow with milk!), it again demonstrates that God’s presence is the key to blessing. Is 41:17-20 reminds us that God can bring forth blessing even in inauspicious circumstances (when we’re found in the desert, when our lives are barren.) His powerful blessing transforms situations.
Ps 87:7 reminds us that all our springs and fountains are in God. God wants to be the fount of every blessing in our lives. He made us, knows us and is able to bless us abundantly.