29th January 2012 - Living Water


Why is the Dead Sea dead? We know it is salty and nothing much grows there, but the deadness is caused by the fact that water flows into it but not out. A flow of water is necessary in our human bodies to flush out impurities too. This is a picture which helps us understand the importance of living water.

John 4v4-8. Jesus knew the historic significance of Jacob's well and how it was once so effective but had fallen into disrepair. Jesus was also well aware of Samaria's history, how it was avoided and the people hated. It was a nation created out of confusion as many displaced people were controlled by he Assyrians and mixed together in a foreign land. Jesus came into a dead situation to bring a fresh flow of water. The woman at the well represented a whole nation that was like muddy water.

Today God is doing something similar but in a positive way, many different people are mixed up in the church which welcomes everyone. Church is a mess and it should be that way because God works with mess rather than with order! So Jesus sees the Jews and Samaritans, each without a life, creating a muddy pool and he brings fresh living water. How does the dead muddy pool get revealed? Well through judgemental attitudes, poverty, disease, family disruption, or a lack of hope. Jesus enters the situation not as a Jew or Samaritan but as the one who knows about living water.

We know that hospitality is very important, but when Jesus really needed it on his journey to Jerusalem the Samaritans absolutely refused to show hospitality, which incensed his disciples, (Luke 9v51-56). Jesus however knew to ignore all preconceived arrangements and was able to walk into hellish circumstances as though he were simply waiting at a well for a drink! God can bypass all kinds of problems in order to change us. He will ignore serious financial pressure or relationship issues and simply touch our lives! We should not just be a Jew, a Samaritan or a Christian when God is offering us a way to life. All through the centuries and for us today, God is changing things with his living water. Jesus suggested the woman should ask him for a drink of such water if she knew the generosity of God, (John 4v9-10). Generosity changes everything!

It is possible forums to be like Jesus, carriers of fresh living water,rather than guarding our fresh muddy little pools. As we step into water which more than quenches or thirst, we can leak water everywhere we go. It is time to be sprayed by God and understand him in a bigger way.

Living water is available for us to be completely refreshed!