The Living Water

 John 7:37-40 (CEB), “On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and shouted, “All who are thirsty should come to me!  All who believe in me should drink! As the scriptures said concerning me, Rivers of living water will flow out from within him.” Jesus said this concerning the Spirit. Those who believed in him would soon receive the Spirit, but they hadn’t experienced the Spirit yet since Jesus hadn’t yet been glorified. When some in the crowd heard these words, they said, “This man is truly the prophet.””

From a website on rituals, I read, “In most cultures, water is a source of inspiration, as well as an essential and precious part of life, an element that brings together the mind, body and soul.

In Taoism, water is used as a metaphor for our path in life. As it flows downhill, it adapts to twists and turns and obstacles, but it’s always moving forward.

To Hindus, all water is sacred. They believe that bathing in a river washes away sins, and that immersing the ashes of the dead in the Ganges sends the soul of the deceased to heaven.

For Buddhists, water is said to symbolize purity, clarity and calmness. Buddhists strive to live in harmony with the environment.

In animistic religions, indigenous people honor and respect water as sacred and wholly life-sustaining. Their traditional knowledge, laws and ways of life teach them to be responsible in caring for this sacred gift that connects all life.” (https://www.rituals.com/en-us/mag-travel-water-rituals.html)

Water is a resource in our lives that we come to respect and treasure as well as enjoy.  Our human bodies are made mostly of water.  To put it simply, when we are sick or not feeling well, people tell us to drink lots of water!  Water fixes what ails us.

 Jesus as our Living Water is an image that speaks to my theology and my life.  The word that is used in Scripture translates to running or living implying that Jesus is never stagnate, never stopped, and always life giving.  As he speaks in our scripture reading he is referring to a water ritual or celebration as he proclaims that he is the one who satisfies human thirst.  He doesn’t do it alone.  By the power of the spirit, his work, his ministry and his impact is magnified.  He uses the words “out of the believers heart” to refer to his desire to live within our hearts by the power of the Spirit. 

 In order to fully experience Jesus as the living water, we don’t need any fancy tradition or ritual.  That is the permission our faith gives us.  In order to fully experience Jesus as our living water, we need to simply spend time with him.  Water gives life when it moves.  It brings refreshment and provides hope as it washes away the past.  When we spend time with Jesus, reading his word, in prayer and in worship, we create space for the living waters to wash over us anew.

  In the irony of our faith, when we spend time with Jesus, with our living water, with our running water, we are called to be still to experience it at its best.

            Hear this story.  “It is much like the story of the harried executive who went to the desert father and complained about his frustration in prayer, his flawed virtue, and his failed relationships. The hermit listened closely to his visitor’s rehearsal of the struggle and disappointments in trying to lead a Christian life. He then went into the dark recesses of his cave and came out with a basin and a pitcher of water.

“Now watch the water as I pour it into the basin,” he said. The water splashed on the bottom and against the sides of the container. It was agitated and turbulent. At first the stirred-up water swirled around the inside of the basin; then it gradually began to settle, until finally the small fast ripples evolved into larger swells that oscillated back and forth. Eventually, the surface became so smooth that the visitor could see his face reflected in the placid water. “That is the way it is when you live constantly in the midst of others,” said the hermit.

“You do not see yourself as you really are because of all the confusion and disturbance. You fail to recognize the divine presence in your life and the consciousness of your belovedness slowly fades.” It takes time for the water to settle. Coming to interior stillness requires waiting. Any attempt to hasten the process only stirs up the water anew.”

Let us pray.  God, we know our lives are rooted and grounded in Jesus, the one who is the living water, the running water, the one who quenches our thirst for a deeper relationship with you.  We pray today for that believers heart – a heart that is recognized by the world as being with the spirit.  Help us to be still long enough to appreciate the living water – and all that gives life.  With Jesus we pray, amen.