Daily Devotions

In the Old Testament, God revealed himself as the “fountain of living waters”. This had special significance in a land that was mainly dry and arid. A place where water was scarce and needed, not just for refreshment, but for life itself.

The Hebrew term for "living water" is mayim chaim, which is a biblical phrase that appears in both the Old and New Testaments. The phrase refers to water that comes directly from God and is associated with God's Spirit

In the New Testament, Jesus takes up this name and the associated imagery, and announces himself as the true source of living water, from which all who drink of it will live forever.

When we drink of the living water that is Jesus, we will become conduits of this living water for others. In John 4:10 we find Jesus speaking to the women at the well, “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.”

So, there are two parts to being refreshed by this living water, Jesus the source and we the ones called to drink from this full supply.  

A man is wandering through a desert with bottles of water on his shoulder. He conserves his water careful until it is all gone and then he begins to get thirsty. That thirst gets deeper and deeper until he sees a pump and runs to it. He lifts the handle and pulls it down but all he hears is the sound of metal on metal. 

He starts to panic. Then he sees a tin can at the bottom of the pump and in the tin can is a message. “Dear traveller do not despair there is enough water here, just follow the instructions. Lift the handle of the pump, bring it down and when you hear the sound of metal on metal discouraging you here’s what you do. Under the pump in front of you there is buried under the sand a bottle of water. Do not despair. Pick up the bottle of water pour it into the cylinder and start priming the pump. The moisture will get the system to work. A rush of water will start gushing out of the pump. You can drink all of the water you want, fill all your bottles but do not forget to fill up the bottle again and leave it for the next passerby. 

Warning: you’re going to be tempted, when you see this one bottle of water, to drink it. But you’ll be so thirsty again and so will everyone else who goes by. Empty it out as instructed and you will have all the water you want and so will everybody else going by”

Heavenly Father, we come today thirsty for You and the living water that only You can provide. Help us to set aside the things that don't satisfy our souls. Open and prepare our hearts to encounter You. Amen