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.’ John7:37-52

There is something about water. It has the capacity to change everything. We can slake our thirst and cool our bodies in the heat. Yet, it also provides life and healing for the soul. Walking by moving waters, whether ocean or fresh always changes my outlook and attitude. Sitting at night gazing out over a dark, stormy ocean or a twinkling tranquil lake can be transformative for all of us. We all ache when we are thirsty, we cannot perform or feel well and we cannot shine or sing when we are parched.

Jesus spoke so powerfully at the temple that the guards could not arrest him. When they returned to their bosses, they were accused of being deceived and foolish. Yet we all know the transformative grace of love incarnate. We are deceived from time to time but when we witness raw, holy, loving power, we know we see the truth. God invites us to those places where we are fed and can witness the power of love in our lives, where we are transformed and not parched, renewed and not dried up.

Today, I ask God to help me draw from the healing springs of love. May we who have been thirsty and satisfied, draw the water of love for the thirsty souls around us.