Living water

Our first home in Bandung, Indonesia, was on a street called Rancaherang. When I told people where we lived, they would nod knowingly and say, “Ah, mata air dari batu”—the source of water that comes from the rock.

It was a known source of pure water that came from somewhere deep within the earth.  Thirst-quenching, garden-drenching water. Always flowing, always abundant.

And there was no water shortage in that whole neighborhood. In fact, it started as a stream in our yard, flowed through a pond on the side of our house and into a stream that ran down to the next house. And on to the next house after that, and so on.

Each yard had a pond of fish and ever-flowing water.

Stagnant water

One day I noticed our pond looked odd. It was dark. The water was low. The fish were staying close to the surface, looking somewhat desperate.   When I stepped outside, I could smell it.

I started investigating and discovered that the man who worked in our yard had stopped the flow of water. And our pond was becoming stagnant.

Every pond in the whole neighborhood was becoming stagnant.

Supply

When I asked him why he’d blocked it, he said he was afraid we would lose our water supply if it continued to flow out to the neighborhood so freely.

He knew about the mata air dari batu. But he did not understand the abundant supply. He did not understand the importance of letting it flow unhindered. We removed the small barrier he had built. Water flooded back into the pond. I think I heard the fish breathe a sigh of relief.

Living water

One day sitting by a well, Jesus told a Samaritan woman, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up in him for eternal life” (John 4:13-14 CSB)

Later, at the temple in Jerusalem, during the last and most important day of the Festival of Tabernacles, Jesus stood up. The Rock of our salvation cried out.  “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him” (John 7:37-38 CSB). 

The Scripture explains, “He said this about the Spirit. Those who believed in Jesus were going to receive the Spirit, for the Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified” (John 7:39 CSB).

Water that flows

As followers of Christ, we have a never-ending flow of living water through the Holy Spirit. He fills our deepest thirst eternally.

Through Him, we have abundant life forever. He transforms us, makes us new. And equips us to share that true life with others.

But sometimes pride blocks the abundant flow in my life.

I get distracted.

I start depending on my own strength.

My eyes focus on the temporary instead of the eternal.

Confess

A quick check of the fruit of the Spirit list in Galatians 5 reveals the lack of that fruit in my life.

Before you know it, I’m stagnant spiritually. Sometimes I stink.

It’s not a hard fix if I’m willing.

I confess sin, pride. I confess my need to be filled, controlled by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:15-21). I ask him to take over. And once again those streams of living water flow.

Renewing, refreshing and flowing out to accomplish His purpose.

What about you?

Are you distracted? Discontent? Depending on something or someone other than the Lord? Do you read Galatians 5:22-23 and feel fruitless? What is your “wake-up call” to flow hindrances? What’s your story?