Day 44 of 49
I expected to find the statement, “I AM the living water”, but no, Jesus never claimed to be living water.
He gives living water, Jn 4:10-14
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?
Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.”
Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Living waters flow out of the heart of the one who believes in him, Jn 7:38.
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.
As the shepherd he will guide us to living water, Rev 7:17.
For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Living water never stands still. It flows providing a clear source for drink and refreshment. Contrasted to stagnant water which often smells bad, grows algae, and breeds mosquitos.
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ”
Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Jn 7:37–39.
In the first century, the Festival of Tabernacles included a six day ritual of drawing water from the Pool of Siloam. The priests carried it to the temple in golden pitchers. They poured out the water around the altar. On the seventh day, the ritual was repeated seven times, pouring so much water that it ran in rivulets from the altar. Against this backdrop, Jesus made his statement, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me.”
The festival served as a reminder of the wilderness trek where water was a precious commodity, and living water even more so. In Exodus 17, the people complained to Moses that they had no water. And God told Moses to strike the rock, and water came out of it for all the people to drink.
We often refer to Jesus as the Rock of Ages. Psalms refer to God as the rock of refuge, a stronghold. Exodus 17 allows us to see an image of the suffering Christ, who provides living water.
They asked, and he brought quail, and gave them bread from heaven in abundance. He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed through the desert like a river.
Ps 105:40–41.
But for some reason, we humans tend to try to rely on our own efforts. I’m not sure why. Do we really think that we can be good enough to meet God’s standard without him? Do we want some of the glory?
No matter what our reasoning, God desires to be the source of our salvation. He wants us to trust and rely on him.
for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.
Je 2:13.
Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.
Is 55:1–3.
Jesus identified himself as the One sent from the Father, the true bread from heaven which provides eternal life to those who believe and the source of living water through which salvation comes to the people. Through him and him alone do we have a restored relationship with God. He is the provider of all we need to not only survive spiritually, but thrive. One with God, he is the creator, giver and sustainer of our lives.
You will say in that day:
“I will give thanks to you, O Lord,
for though you were angry with me,
your anger turned away,
that you might comfort me.
“Behold, God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.”
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
And you will say in that day:
“Give thanks to the Lord,
call upon his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples,
proclaim that his name is exalted.
“Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
let this be made known in all the earth.
Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”
Is 12:1–6.
Lord, thank you for providing us with your living water that sustains us and helps us to thrive. Thank you for being the source of our salvation. Remind us not to rely on our own resources which will never satisfy.
TRICIA LATHROP 