Summer heat in Oklahoma can climb into the lower 100s daily. And, we can go for long periods without any rains. But then, everything dries up as the grass withers, and the plants droop. So, as the heat dome becomes entrenched overhead, most of us look for ways to escape its grasp. First, we pray for rain to cool us and refresh us. Then, as the season morphs into fall, the precious water falls from the sky as rain to cool and replenish the Earth.
The World of Water
Every living thing needs water to survive. Water covers approximately 70.9% of the Earth’s surface. And up to 60% of the human adult body is water. Another way we see the importance of water is that people can live for much longer without food than they can without water. But, this importance is not just limited to our physical need for water. The Bible mentions water over 700 times from Genesis to Revelations. So why is water so precious for us?
Precious Water in the Bible
Water in the Bible represents life, both spiritual and physical. It purifies us. St. John Damascene summarized, “Water, then, is the most beautiful element and rich in usefulness, and purifies from all filth, and not only from the filth of the body but from that of the soul, if it should have received the grace of the Spirit.” (An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith– Book 2: Chapter 9).
Jesus and Water
The first miracle performed by Jesus occurred when He turned water into wine. Later on, we see Jesus walking on water to reach His disciples. Finally, we see water mixed with blood pouring from Jesus’ wound on the cross. But, let’s look at another example of Jesus and water.
The Precious Water and The Well
In the Gospel of John, we find the woman’s story at the well. Jesus felt weary from His journey and rested at Jacob’s Well in Samaria, where He encountered a Samaritan woman. Jesus asked her for water from the well. The woman hesitated because it went against society norms for a man to speak to a woman. And it was against the rule for a Jew to talk to a Samaritan. However, Jesus ignored the rules and, in return, offered the woman the living water only found in Christ.
“13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Precious Water
This Bible story reminds me of our mission travels. In many countries where we work, clean drinking water is hard to find. In fact, water, in general, is almost impossible to locate. For instance, in Kenya, some women walk miles to reach a small stream to collect water. They often make 5 or 6 trips to the creek to get enough water for the family to bathe in and cook. The journey is backbreaking. The water table flows deep below the surface, and the few wells reach almost 1,000 feet deep.
In Nepal, summer is the dry season. As a result, the water in the reservoirs falls dramatically. Kathmandu Valley, an area of nearly 2.5 million, goes days without water from its faucets. The locals prepare by collecting water when they can. If a drought lasts long enough, then even taking a bath becomes a luxury. In our developed world, we take water for granted. All of us should learn to conserve and appreciate it more than we do.
Summary
Water provides life to our human bodies, and we must drink it daily. Jesus offers Himself as our living water. We can only survive a few days without water, or we die. However, life without Jesus becomes a spiritual death. God is offering each of us this gift of precious water. This Living Water is ours to claim by trusting our lives to the source of the living waters, Jesus.
Prayer
Loving God, we ask for Your blessings on children, mothers, fathers, and communities who are thirsty. Purify, protect, and multiply their water sources. Strengthen their resolve so they may fully enjoy the benefits of clean water — essentials like education, gardens of fresh produce, and good health. (https://www.worldvision.org/clean-water-news-stories/pray-thirsty-clean-water)
Do you need prayer? I would love to pray for you. Submit your prayer request on my website at https://yvonne-morgan.com/submit-your-prayer-request-here/
Grace and Peace to you,
Yvonne M. Morgan is a Christian #author, #blogger, and #speaker. #BibleGatewayPartner
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
Additional Resources: