Well, I detoured a bit, thinking about cracked cisterns. But I guess that’s what really does happen to us — we are pulled off track when we chase mirages instead of heading straight to the oasis.

“With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation.”
(Isaiah 12:3)

Does that one line itself make you thirsty, make you want more?

I want to drink more deeply, and I want to drink with joy.

When we began this discussion, I mentioned that finding God as the only true source of life-giving water is just the first step, the first part of our story. In the next chapter of this story, we find rivers of living water …  flowing within us!  

Does that sound a bit radical, maybe too extreme or fanatical? Or do you think it edges too close to a human-centric spirituality?

Here is the good, good news. Jesus says that anyone who is thirsty can come to Him, and He will give the Spirit, who will be rivers of living water flowing from your heart. This water, Jesus says, becomes a fresh bubbling spring within you and will give you eternal life.

Wow. I want to live with that fresh, bubbling, eternal water flowing through me.

Did you catch the Scripture’s reference a few days ago about God living among us? (Isaiah 12:6) This is what Jesus gives us: the Spirit of God that lives within each of His children. It is radical, but it is anything but human-centric. 

It is the Spirit of God within that becomes streams of life, flowing through us, reviving, sustaining, renewing. God is not just some powerful deity ‘way off in the heavens somewhere. God lives here, with us. Jesus said, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.”   (my bold)

Wow. Wow. Wow. I have to ask: Can you believe that? If you believe that, then what changes in your life?

Spirit, help our unbelief!

The story of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well sounds familiar. Jesus tells her several times, “I can give you living water. You will never be thirsty again.”

But she doesn’t hear Him, doesn’t understand. Instead, she talks about practical, logical problems (How will you draw the water? You don’t have a bucket.); personal issues (if you give me this water, I’ll never have to come back here again, I have no husband); and religious tradition or dogma (where’s the best place to worship?)

Jesus repeats, “I can give you water that quenches all your thirst.”  But she has a hard time getting it. Even when He finally says, straight out, “I am the Messiah that was prophesied,” she’s still wondering, although she is impressed that He knew everything about her life. But it seems that she never understands Jesus’ offer of living, eternal water.

The Spirit of God in our lives is a fresh, bubbling spring of living water. May we hear, understand, and come and drink. Deeply.  And with joy.

John 7:37-39; John 14:23 (NLT)