The Source of Living Water

Introductory questions to chew

Is this river of living water my purpose in living?

Is this river of living water my power in living?

If I said "yes" to either question, can I prove my answer from my life?

If I said "no" to either question, why is that my condition?

Do I want to thirst after righteousness and pant after God?

Water springing up!

"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14).

What a memory selection! One of the key words surely must be whosoever. Whoever in the whole wide world. Anybody. Anywhere. Everybody. Everywhere. No exceptions. No one excluded or otherwise left out.

Whosoever drinks of the water the Lord gives shall never thirst. No matter how depraved or how morally righteous, those who drink from this water shall be fully satisfied. The cup is extended to everyone, giving everyone hope. And everyone drinking deeply from that cup shall receive the full measure of that hope.

This whosoever even includes me. So what shall I do when dissatisfaction begins to nibble at me? Look for new liberties or new thrills? That is the inclination of many, alright. But the Christian should recognize that if he is lacking contentment and satisfaction, the reason may be as simple as not drinking fully from the water the Lord offers.

Whosoever drinks of the water the Lord gives shall have in him a well of water. No matter how wrong or self-righteous, those who drink from this water shall become conduits of that water.

This whosoever even includes the most vile sinner. Do you really, truly believe that? The implications here challenge the natural mind almost to breaking. Think about the character of the Samaritan woman. You wouldn't consider her a well of living water, would you? I mean, consider what she was! No, wrong perspective. Consider what she is! Consider the living water within her!

Perhaps you see yourself as that Samaritan. You have certainly complicated your life with your thoughts, decisions and actions. If anyone ever really managed to "mess up," you are the one. No question in your mind, anyway. So you feel...well, not necessarily unredeemable, because you can see that the Lord came for your type (which means my type!). You believe the Lord can and will satisfy you. But even so, you feel...useless. Maybe that's it. What can you contribute to the King and His church? What can you contribute to the needy world? You used to be a vessel proud and haughty, now you see how marred and useless you really were. Can it be you could ever be anything else?

Whosoever, my friend, includes you!

Whenever you begin to doubt the Lord's ability to work in you, whenever you begin to question the Lord's desire to use you, have a drink again of that living water. Because "whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." If you can believe the first part, believe the second part. This is one of those "package deals" -- if the second isn't true, neither is the first. If faith is difficult for you, look again to Jesus, the Author of faith.

Flowing From Us

Water. Absolutely essential to life -- physical life, spiritual life; temporal life, eternal life. Everybody needs water. Without it, nobody can enjoy living. Even if you have everything else you can acquire, if you don't have water.... Well, what is the use?!

Look again at the memory selection. The water that Jesus gives satisfies completely and perpetually. But His intention is to do more than satisfy me. He then wants to use me and the water in me to bring life and satisfaction to others. Our memory verse speaks of "a well of water" in us and later on in the book of John, Jesus says that "rivers of living water" shall flow from us (7:38). So, having received living water, we become its channel to other needy ones.

This living water is the Holy Spirit (John 7:39; Isaiah 44:3). As the Spirit fills our being, He will naturally begin to flow through us to others in our daily living. Our attitudes, our actions and our words will flow from us in a convincing display of this pure Water in us. Let's focus our attention on our words, taking note of some Proverbs.

"The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD" (16:1). This is critical for every Christian to remember. What good we say doesn't really come from us, it comes through us. Therefore, we have nothing to fear when the time comes to speak for God and nothing to become proud about when we respond with wisdom and discretion. God's Spirit uses our tongues for His glory.

"The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom" (10:31). Neither the mouth nor the heart of the just generate wisdom, they simply bring forth what God's Spirit has put there. Furthermore, "there is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel" (20:15). Such lips "know what is acceptable" (10:32). And having knowledge, they both use it properly (15:2) and share it generously (15:7). What kind of price are you willing to pay to purchase such a jewel?

In addition to blessing others, mouths, lips and tongues which are conduits for the living Water bring substantial benefits for their owners. "The mouth of the upright shall deliver them" (12:6). And having been delivered, they "shall be established for ever" (12:19). Then "the lips of the wise shall preserve them" (14:3) in that delivered and stabilized state. This individual will thrive with abundant health in his soul, which will not suffer mentally, emotionally and volitionally in the midst of his troubles (12:18; 21:23).