Rivers of Living Water

On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.'” Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, “This is really the prophet.” Others said, “This is the Messiah.” But some asked, “Surely the Messiah does not come from Galilee, does he? Has not the scripture said that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” So there was a division in the crowd because of him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
Then the temple police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not arrest him?” The police answered, “Never has anyone spoken like this!” Then the Pharisees replied, “Surely you have not been deceived too, have you? Has any one of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, which does not know the law—they are accursed.” Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before, and who was one of them, asked, “Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?” They replied, “Surely you are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and you will see that no prophet is to arise from Galilee.” John 7:37-52 

Rivers of Living Waters

This thirst within each of us
throbs like a torn and aching muscle
bends us over in this human frailty
pushes us onward walking aimlessly.

We think if we win at every thing
if we take what is ours by might alone
then we will know the gentle fullness
and float glorified in our own perfection.

Living waters often begin as storms
treacherous and mighty bearing down
unexpected and overhwhelming
living water churns and draws us down.

What we think we need is never right
like modern Nicodemus we want easy
yet we must go deep into the raging waters
water logged and needy we will thrive.

God is the living, moving water we need
the Holy deep baptism of radical change
always found in the unlikely places
always drawing us downstream to new life.