Out of Our Hearts Shall Flow Rivers of Living Water
“Living water” has become a very religious term. Not necessarily spiritual, just religious. It’s a term that gets tossed around a lot in Christian circles, like “born again” or “saved.” These terms become part of our language, but rarely utilized or thought about in their deepest meaning. This is not to be critical, only observational, and in this case invitational to look deeper into the symbolic biblical nature of “living water” as it relates to our faith and relationship with God.
In the Middle East, water is in short supply; there is only sporadic rainfall through the winter months; and the threat of drought and famine is always near to the minds and memory of the people. Because nothing is more serious than the absence of water, when rain does fall it is collected in cisterns and open pools—this is stagnant water. For the covenant people of Israel, living water, or running water, that comes through rivers and streams following the rainfall was seen as blessing and refreshment from God. It is no wonder that this language came to be used to represent spiritual blessings and refreshment as well. The familiar verses of the Twenty-third Psalm proclaim , “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters.” Rarely are the pastures green in the Middle East. Rarely are the streams, still flowing. The streams are generally dried up or they are flowing dangerously fast with flood waters from very heavy rainfall. Living water is then seen as God’s provision, blessings that flow directly from God. Likewise, there is a spiritual yearning for these blessings. “As the deer pants for the waterbrooks, so my soul longs after thee” (Ps. 42:1.) We long for the refreshment that comes from God, in the same way we long for the refreshment of clean flowing water.
It should not be surprising that this image of living water also represents the Spirit of God throughout the scriptures. After all, water gives life. Water cleanses. Water is provision and refreshment. The Prophet Ezekiel (chapter 47) is shown a vision where a trickle of water flowing from the altar turns into rivers of abundance and life. The prophet Joel sees the Spirit of the LORD “poured out” upon the people. (Joel 2:28-29) And we are invited to be filled with the Holy Spirit. These images reflect not only the abundance of God’s provision and refreshment in our lives, but point to the fact that the Spirit of God is our primary source of life.
In John’s Gospel, living water points to the promise of this life through the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman at the well that she should have asked him for living water; he invites all who are thirsty to come and drink; and on the cross as Jesus is pierced in the side, water flows out of his body. Jesus is the source of life. And the Spirit of God is the natural outflow from life in Christ. This living water of God’s Spirit represents spiritual life, blessings, and refreshment, which quenches our thirst for all else. But we are not just invited to be recipients of living water, we are invited to be vessels of living water as well. We are invited to be empowered by the Spirit and be channels of grace and love through our ministry to our neighbors and the world. For “out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:38)
The First Song of Isaiah found in Canticle 9 of the Book of Common Prayer reads:
"Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing *
from the springs of salvation.
And on that day you shall say, *
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name;
Make his deeds known among the peoples; *
see that they remember that his Name is exalted.
Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, *
and this is known in all the world.
Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, *
for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel."
It is for this reason that this blog and podcast is entitled “Living Water from St. Matthias’ in Toccoa.” These sermons, writings, and teachings are meant to be a spiritual refreshment and a reflection of God’s abundant blessings in our lives. And as we drink from the springs of salvation, may we be led into praise, thanksgiving, exaltation, and proclamation of the Living God, who blesses us with living water. May we be empowered by the Holy Spirit, the living water, to worship God and witness to the world about the grace and love of Jesus Christ, who quenches our spiritual thirst.