Water

Water

4/21/15

Ever wonder why water is so important to our entire lives?  Without this single component, our lives would cease to exist and yet on either end of things the fine line of water intake is so delicate that the slightest overload will end our lives as well.  I also find this fine commodity comparable to God and since He uses water as an example of Him, He understands this relationship of delicacy and importance as well.  With so many troubled times around our world at this moment, it is more important than ever that we realize that while our physical water supply might be drying up, this is not the time to dry up the Living Water and its Source, for if we allow this to occur, our lives shall dry up and waste away for eternity.

From the time that mankind has existed water has been the most important commodity and necessity that people can obtain.  Gold, silver, platinum, magnesium, copper, etc. are valuable in order to make the world be more productive and structurally sound but even the dying person who cannot be physically saved asks for water during their final breaths.  There are many instances that we take this small molecular compound for granted and carelessly and needlessly waste many of them just in a single day.  We do not stop and think about just how important water is to our lives and it is only when we do not have this source of life-giving chemicals that we begin to become strict advocates for its usage.  But at the same time we continually throw away and ignore all of the warnings that the Source of our eternal Living Water is providing us, for there is a huge difference from a pond of water to a stream of water and the discernment between the two is vital to everyone’s lives.

How consistent is water?  Has anyone, besides a chemist, sat down and seriously thought about this molecular compound and pondered upon its importance to our needs?  The bond between the molecules within the water compound is extraordinary for it represents one of the strongest bonds that is known on that level and it is also one of the more stable bonds that is in existence when placed together with many like bonds.  Have you ever witnessed a water molecule break apart when it is in its steady state?  Have you ever not been able to see or to feel water do its job within our lives?  These questions and many more like them have been asked repeatedly over human history and have all been answered in the same manner, water is the one necessity that all life needs in order to maintain a healthy and functioning presence on this earth.

I also find it very intriguing that water makes up to approximately 80-85% percent of our physical bodies and it is one of the major participants in holding our bodies into it present shape and form.  I am a type 2 diabetic and, for the most part, my body regulates itself quite steadily, but there are times that I need to drink a little bit more water in order for my body to function properly.  It is the water that brings my metabolism and sugar levels back in line.  Yes I feel great when I am working out in the garden, mowing the lawn or even walking back and forth from building to building at work, but there are times that I need extra water to maintain the complete balance of my overall metabolism.

The other afternoon my wife and I were eating at one of the local restaurants in town and I noticed something about the bench that she was sitting on, one end of the bench was higher than the other, in fact when I took a few seconds to really look at the rest of her bench the height from one end to the end that was at the wall was considerably different.  I then noticed that the table we were sharing also demonstrated a considerable slope towards the wall, in the same direction of course.  This all came into my head when I looked at the glass of water in front of me and while the glass itself was sitting level on the table surface I noticed that the water inside the glass, while contained within the glass was not parallel with the rim of the glass.  It was this point when God began sharing with me about water and provided me with the topic of this letter.

I was almost immediately reminded of a story that my father told me about my Pawpaw.  Even though Pawpaw was a minister he was considered to be a master carpenter and builder and had an excellent reputation for both loves of his life within the communities that he lived.  Dad told me about a time when pawpaw was working with a group of other men on a bridge and completing some work around the bridge.  The concern at the time was if the bridge was level and at that moment they did not have the correct instruments to measure this portion of the project so that the bridge could be deemed level and with the proper curve in order to provide the best support available.  Pawpaw commandeered a small boat jumped into the bayou that ran below the bridge and asked for a level and when one was not available he began to improvise.  The others looked at him quite strangely and began to basically snicker at him when he informed them of how he was going to accomplish this feat.

The device he used was simple in design and did the job well, but it was the knowledge Pawpaw had about water that served as the foundation for his accurate measurements concerning the level that they needed for the project.  He took three measurements of the bridge from the boat using a rope that went from the bridge to the water.  It was a calm day and the water within the bayou was relatively slow and balanced.  Pawpaw understood that no matter what the landscape provided that any puddle of water or slow moving water source would automatically complete a natural phenomenon which was that water would always level itself according to the “container” that it was in.  This physical law was evident to my own eyes in the restaurant and based upon this same information Pawpaw could move from one side to the other and accurately determine if the bridge, land and any other variable was level or not.  However, this important fact about water does not make it impervious to the container in which it is housed for even this vital element is still dependent upon the source of its beginnings and will increase or decrease accordingly.

We are currently witnessing a severe drought in some of the states within this country one state in particular is feeling the full brunt of this drought.  The drought is not a new or overnight problem but it has been in an increasing occurrence over the past few years with increasingly worsening conditions.  The levels of precipitation within that state and in the mountainous areas  that usually see so much snow during the winter, have dropped drastically over this time period and so far this year have continued.  The levels of reservoirs and rivers are so low that new dramatic steps have been taken by the governor of that state.  In other words the direct source of these bodies of water has continually and steadily dried up and it has the appearance of no change in the near future.  While some argue that it is mankind that is responsible for these conditions many have forgotten that the ultimate provider for our needs is God, and maybe we are doing something wrong, spiritually, to undermine His plans for our lives.

All of us know that God likes to use stories within the Bible to make demonstrations of how our lives matter and to give our hearts and minds things to think about so that we can make use of His Word for others.  What I find so amazing is that when we read a story and use it for one example, we have a tendency to stick to that story alone and go no further with it, at least I was under that impression concerning these stories in the Bible, that is until God began showing me topics to write about.  I have stated before that I thought I knew the majority of things about the occurrences in the Garden of Eden but God has increased my knowledge about this time period and is still filling my heart with the truth about this portion of human history.  The same goes for the example in the Bible that is going to be used for this letter, the story of the woman at the well and once again God has brought into motion another portion of this powerful passage to our lives.  The passage is John Chapter 4.  I also must admit that I have read this portion of the passage many times and have understood its meaning but not quite in depth as I do now through what God has shown me and is now sharing with those who wish to understand.

The specificity of what Jesus is saying in this passage I find interesting because He is addressing a woman that does not know Him yet Jesus is candid with her about her life and her offerings of water.  This is a person that according to Jewish customs and laws should not be associated with, they were considered vile and dirty, yet Jesus, who was at the well first, began speaking with her when she arrived after Him.  It was common knowledge that these two cultures did not socialize with each other and she could have not said a word to Jesus and had been perfectly fine.  Once again God (Jesus) initiates the conversation in this passage and asks for a drink.

The scene takes place at a well traveled well, one that many people within the area are familiar with; this is known since the woman herself states that it is Jacob’s Well.  Every human life needs water to survive and during the time of Jesus the purification systems were not present and the methods of obtaining water were more tedious and painstakingly eventful.  It is here that the conversation between the two turns and Jesus proclaims that He is the everlasting water and whoever comes to Him for this water shall never thirst again.  Jesus understands the need for water and the importance of its presence and He makes an invaluable comparison on the Kingdom level here for since physical water serves as the one element that every human needs to function, so does His Living Water within our spiritual lives for them to survive.

Jesus places the woman at the well into a tight spot in that He begins to address the sins of her private life, the ones that He initiated with conversation.  This brings up a very interesting point that I will share in a moment but the stage is set for a conversation on Kingdom terms and not political or physical.  Jesus takes it upon Himself to address the woman and proceeds to show Her Kingdom principles and how her past, while still is her past, can be reversed and forgiven if she turns from her ways and follows God.  The woman understands that Jesus is a prophet and she has also been told that the Messiah would come one day.  While her life may represent a normal state for her society, it does not with God and it is this personal aspect of her life that Jesus deals with.  It is through this example that Jesus eventually tries to teach His disciples about the Kingdom; it does not matter who is told, the Kingdom just needs to be shared with the entire world so that they may come to understand what is exactly occurring within their lives and surroundings.

It is through the comparison of water that Jesus uses in order for our finite minds to be able to comprehend this message.  If Jesus was NOT the only way to God He could have never claimed this statement.  If He was not the pure and holy sacrifice that would bring God and mankind back into direct relationship then His statement would be a lie and therefore prove Satan correct and God to be a liar.  Jesus is the water of eternal life and His sacrifice sets into motion the covered bridge that allows this magnificent process to be completed.  With the work that it takes to obtain water back in the times of Jesus this provides us with another example of what could happen if the water source dries up.

Jesus used the term living water or everlasting water when He was speaking to the woman at the well.  Would anyone consider a pond to be “living water”?  A pond is stagnate for the most part and usually relies on rainfall for its replenishment of water and even this type of replenishment does not fully refresh the contents, only adds to the sludge.  I was born and raised in the south and I have been around my share of ponds, and while some of their settings are gorgeous, the majority of the ponds that I have been around flat stink.  Yes, there is life in ponds but for the most part the stagnate water produces murky conditions and not really fit for consumption if needed.  It does not matter how big or small the pond may be stagnation causes a certain entrapment of life which forces the lives within that confine to become mundane and lifeless.

A good example of living water is a river or stream that is in constant flow.  The waters, unless humanly polluted, flow with clear and clean water which do not contain many impurities.  A freshly running stream can produce and maintain life because it is a steady flow of new water into a larger body of water.  It is also understood that as the new water flows into this body of water a measured amount of water flows from the body of water at the same time.  The “new” water should not stay confined within the body of water for an indefinite period, for if this state occurs the water capacity would soon reach a point of containment and would be considered at its peak level in which, with just a few drops more, would spill over the banks holding the body of water causing a damaging flood.  Also, if not enough incoming water is being presented into the larger body of water, eventually a “pond” effect would develop and the water eventually become useless in value. 

In order for the incoming flow of water to provide a living source for the body of water it must have an equal flow being taken in simultaneously as the amount of flowing water that is leaving the body of water.  And it is through specific example in this passage that Jesus was referring to when He stated that He is the source of living water that would never cease, nor would she ever spiritually or eternally thirst again.  This is a concept where many people within the Church fail to see and to live by and it all has to do with the true source of Jesus and what His life means to our lives overall.  In order for Jesus to be eternal and living water within our lives He must first be allowed to enter into our lives.  If we allow His eternal water to enter within our lives and just sit there one or more things will occur. 

First of all if we allow Him into our lives and we do not share this living and everlasting water with others His water will soon grow in abundance in our lives and soon reach its capacity which means at some point His water will involuntarily be spilled from our lives and flood the areas around us; the areas being people that we know and who we come in contact with.  Flooding them with a bunch of information about someone that do not know is a very dangerous situation and in most cases will turn them away from what we are trying to share with tem and in this case it is Jesus; we flood them and share with them.

Secondly if Jesus sees that His water is not being used properly He will slow His intake down and if not recognized as such will eventually cut off the flow into our lives, thus creating the perfect setting of a pond.  Throughout God’s existence He has never forced Himself on anyone and if He continued to pour His life into a pond, He would be doing just that.  God shall dry His blessings and life from our bodies if we do not provide the truth to others.  Not what we consider to be the truth, but the truth according to His Word.

Thirdly, if we allow His water to enter into our lives, He will infiltrate our contained bodies and then will transform our inner environment so that we can in turn provide this fresh and everlasting to a dying world, thus continuing the everlasting and pure flow without any type of contamination or stoppage.  His water shall transform our lives in such a manner that we will need to witness or release His water onto our world.  This is exactly what His living water provides on both ends of our lives, both the receiving and the giving.  If we live in this manner we will automatically be pushing God’s Kingdom forward and pushing back our enemy’s.

There is an interesting fact about flowing water, in that it contains many molecules of oxygen and generates its own source of energy as well.  While people in the sciences probably understand this knowledge about water flowing water is one of the best sources of energy that is available for humans.  Water provides the catalyst for many of our physical functions within our bodies and it is a wonderful source of clean and pure electrical energy that can be housed and then used for human consumption.  But this type of energy cannot be used if the intake of flowing water is diminished or even dries up.

As I have mentioned in the paragraphs above, parts of our country are in desperate need of water simply because the source of the water that is needed has not been there.  And in turn, the supply of water will correspond with the supply.  This problem is of great concern to millions of people in this country and I have to say that some people in other countries are facing the same situation where water is concerned.  Dependence upon this vital commodity reminds us that while we believe ourselves to be invincible to countless things, a simple compound will quickly bring us to our knees begging for our lives to be extended.

Jesus states that He is the eternal living water that our spirits need in order for us to never spiritually thirst again.  His water comparison cannot be any more brilliant in demonstration, for without Christ as the center of our lives His water cannot fully flow into our lives as it should.  Jesus recognized the difference between physical water and spiritual water and the importance of both but His words of never thirsting again provides us with the key to His spiritual water.  Let it be known that God shall never dry up His everlasting water source as long as His people wish to have Him in their lives; however, God shall not continue His blessings on a world that deliberately shuns Him for their own ways and beliefs.  We should all be aware of this sense as we head into the summer season for it is the greatest time for water.  God IS concerned about our physical water needs and can provide as much water as our planet needs, but as our spiritual reservoirs dry up and His guidelines refused, both settings shall dwindle further.

His example provides us with a concurrent dilemma that some people in the world are facing and that is the shortage of water. The same concepts apply to His living water versus the physical water supply that has been running low for some time now.  It is the supplier of the water which counts as the provider of water in the future.  We all know what occurs when there is too much water, floods appear and cause various amounts of damage to the surrounding lands and the opposite is true when there is hardly any precipitation that falls from the skies for it brings lower levels of water and if continued in that mode, produces severe drought conditions.

It is the goal of every human to come to the place where we do not have to feel like we have to continually search for peace, happiness and security.  Our physical demands of survival place a great deal of pressure on our lives in order for us to warrant our existence  so we really do not need our habitual worldly standards adding to our provision of hurts and disappointments on top of our true needs in life.  I find it so amazing that humans by the billions continually reject God and His principles of peace, security, health and happiness and instead turn to a corrupt, filthy, heartbreaking and dying world for human help and need.  It is not difficult for one to place themselves into a category of need so why is it just as difficult and even on course for complete isolation when one tries to defy the world’s offerings?

Jesus was a part of this world because He walked upon its surface, but that was all contact He had with it.  If one looks at His life they will quickly come to the conclusion that He was totally different than what the common or even aristocrat person represented to everyone else.  The reason is that His life not provides us with the living and everlasting water that He so adequately described to the woman at the well but also He had this same water flowing from Him at all times.  His complete description of this everlasting water was one of the pure definitions of Jesus’ life that proves that Kingdom principles were the sole purpose of why He came to this planet.

There would have been no true and pure way that Jesus could have made this statement if He did not exemplify both sides of His claim.  We as humans have a tough time accepting our lives for who we are and spend so much time trying our best to improve on something that we cannot.  It is through this constant that we can receive the necessary ingredients to fulfill our lives for the purposes that we were created and it is through the physical water that our human bodies need that we can have constant reminders that the only way that we can have life everlasting is by God and through His Son Jesus.  If we allow God’s everlasting water flow into our reservoirs, purify our content, and then flow from our lives to the dry and thirsty land God shall supply all of our water needs for eternity.

DLB