Living Water

In John 4, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well, a well Jacob himself had drawn from. He asks her for a drink, an astonishing request since Samaritans were not people with whom Jews associated.

He ends up telling her if she had only known to ask for it, He could have given her living water that would make her free from thirst forever. This says something important to me. People thirst to know God. There is an innate need to interact with out creator. Some have buried that need so deep within, under so much sin, we cannot perceive the need for God to free us. Yet we thirst.

Jesus proves his identity prophetically by telling the woman all about her life. She believes Him and runs to tell the rest of the city about her discovery. Just as water flows downhill, the message of Jesus arrival flowed directly to the others of her city and quickly came to see Jesus and what He was about. From that meeting, He was invited to stay, which He did for two more days. Many were saved.

What makes water such a spiritually telling substance? The need for baptism is more than a suggestion. Water is cleansing, essential to our bodies for our ongoing survival, and Jesus offered it as spiritual sustenance.

If the need to know and worship God can be called a thirst, then America, and indeed the world is suffering in the midst of a drought of epic proportions. The only cure is a rain God must provide.

In John 4:48 Jesus rebukes a nobleman. "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe." How can it be any different with people today? The ability of Jesus to distribute His living water is dependant on the preparation of the heart to believe. People want proof of God's existence and intention. We need to see His POWER. We'll touch in this next time when I talk about Luke 8.

Isaiah continues the concept of living water, talking about wells of salvation(12:3). Water is the prescence and power of the Holy Spirit, given to revive and replenish us when we allow Him into our life to do His holy work.

Famously, Joel 2:28 & 29 tells us how it will be when God "Pours out My Spirit on all flesh." It is a time of power and divine vision and intervention. We shall all hear from God in a special and unique way. Surely, salvations must follow. This time is now.

Starting in Acts 2, the Spirit was made available to the people of God. When God pours out water (blessing of the presence of the Holy Spirit) things start to happen. Pentecost was only the natural result of His presence. He waits to be called upon to empower His church in the same way today. Jesus told us the secret. We have merely to ask, and willingly receive.

We have come to the point in America where we are thirsty beyond all hope of quenching. We need a total immersion in Living Water. Only the powerful move of the Holy Spirit can bring us back. We cannot save this nation either economically or politically. Only a new infusion of Holy Spirit power can possibly revive us. Holy Spirit come!