DaySpring Daily Word of Inspiration: John 7:38 –Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”
What does a river of water look like? It’s mostly calm, nutrition to the plant life along the banks of the water, and a source of refreshing for passer-byes. If this river has such a significance in the physical on earth, how much more important could a river of living water be in a spiritual reference? Now we can all attest to knowing how uproarious a river can get but we’ll visit that in a moment. To stay on base, as we look at our lives when we believe in Jesus, we have something much of the same to look forward to.
The living water in scriptural terms has a couple of different meaning but we’ll address one specific one. As we’re rooted in Christ, we will experience the river of living water flowing from within us. This simply allows for God’s Word to continually refresh and replenish us in Christ. We are daily feed the nutrients that sustain our faith in Christ. We are daily cleansed anew, cleanse afresh in our attitudes, thought processes and understanding of God’s ways and his will for our lives. We are able to be at peace provided in the calming gratitude of God’s grace and mercy rendering us revitalized; able to grow and mature unhindered. How does your life look today? Are you experiencing the continually cleansing, replenishing and soothing calm that is available to those who believe in Christ or are you experiencing upset waters?
Upset waters can be a good and a bad thing. As mentioned earlier, river water can become fierce and hard to navigate. The problem comes in when you’re going against the current. On the good side, as you’re strengthened in your belief in Christ, the river of living water produces a beautiful rushing stream that you move with of love, affection, desire, and power for God’s word, his people and doing God’s will in your life. Unfortunately, when we go against the grain and head into the river water of the world, going in the opposite direction of the current (of what God would have you to do), we are troubled, depleted, swayed from side to side and potentially overtaken by rushing water (but not in the good way but by the world’s mess). You might be thinking well that doesn’t make sense but consider this: think of a time where something inside of you was screaming to you not to do something and you did it but felt bad afterwards – you were going against the current and struggling in the river water of the world inside you. Or maybe you felt hopeless in a particular situation and just gave up because you couldn’t muster the energy any longer to take on the burden – you were depleted by opposing currents of the river water of the world inside you. Is it possible you’ve been faced with a decision that everyone has an opinion on but because your lack of confidence or being able to say what you want or needed, you missed out on everything; you felt mistreated, pulled in everyone else’s direction and you lost out completely – you my friend have not embraced the living water and the river water of the world has devoured you!
Our belief in Christ does so much for our lives here on earth but we won’t experience it if we don’t put our trust, faith, and confidence in him. What is flowing from within you today? Is it refreshing, calm and cleansing living water or a lack of it causing you to tread the troubling currents of life’s (the worlds) water? We pray today that you only desire the river of living water that is excessed through Jesus Christ. May he restore, revitalize and replenish you daily as you live rooted by the banks of his streams in your life. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!