Living Water

The LORD will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do.

Looking up, I blinked my eyes as raindrops landed on my face. It was summer break, and my twelve-year-old best friend and I had decided to play in the rain. Even though I usually avoided getting caught in the weather, I enjoyed dancing and jumping around with abandon. The warm shower felt cleansing. Afterward, we came inside, soaked and muddy-footed, breathless with laughter and the sheer exuberance of being alive.

Since that long-ago afternoon, I’ve visited places where rain is bountiful—like the months I lived in England, where an umbrella was my constant companion—and I’ve visited dry places—like South Point on Kona, the southernmost point of the United States, where the land is cracked, the vegetation parched. Though we may sometimes overlook the importance of precipitation, it is essential for survival. Water is a necessary part of life; rain is integral to that. It fills aquifers, which in turn keep rivers and lakes filled. When it pours over the land that surrounds us, it not only contributes to what we need for household use but brings life to farmers’ crops and helps sustain the plants and animals in our environment.

Just as rain is needed to bring about new life and sustain every living thing that depends on fresh water, the living water Jesus provided is necessary for us to experience a rich and satisfying life. In his wisdom, God gave us physical water by sending rain from the heavens. But the spiritual water we receive is equally essential. Just as the ground needs rain, we need the living water of Jesus to bring vitality to our parched souls and provide purpose each day.

Kristin

Today’s Act of Gratitude

The next time it rains, spend a minute listening to its patter and thanking God for its presence. Then, pray and thank God for the living water available to us through Jesus.