Mark preached on the topic of Living Water this morning. In our country, we often take water for granted – it’s available from the tap; we can bathe or shower whenever we like. But if for any reason we have no water, we realise immediately the problem we have. Water may be freely available to us, but that’s not the case in many countries.
Water quenches our thirst. Without water, we would die quickly. In Biblical times, water was taken from wells or natural springs. The water Jesus talks about in John 4 and John 6 is not just natural water, however; it is spiritual water.
The spiritual water Jesus offers us means we will never thirst again (John 6:35, John 4:13). Moreover, that water becomes a spring of water welling up to eternal life (John 4:14). It truly is ‘living water’ (John 4:10). We need to ask God for this water, which first of all refreshes us and then overflows to touch other people’s lives.
One of my favourite places is Evian-les-Bains, a spa town in France, famous for its water.
In the centre of Evian, there are a number of fountains, such as this one:
As the psalmist says, ‘all my fountains are in You.’ (Ps 87:7). God is able to make our lives overflow, even in places where we would not expect abundant water:
“water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert… The burning sand will become a pool; the thirsty ground bubbling springs.” (Is 35:6-7). Wherever we are, no matter what our situations, God can bring healing and joy and new life and transformation of our environment. The grass, papyrus and reeds will grow in unexpected places (Is 35:7). God can move in miraculous ways.
1) We need to ask for the living water for ourselves, for we all need spiritual refreshment.
2) We need to pray for God to spring forth in dry and barren situations, so that all may have their thirst quenched by Him.
The video is of the Chris Tomlin song based on Ps 87:7, ‘All My Fountains’:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J01VYTDssmc