Let It Flow

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. (John 7:37-44 ESV). I have a friend who is a revivalist. His newsletter is titled “In the River.” In it he reports some of the wonderful ways God is calling people to his love and grace. Each time I read the reports, I am reminded how vital it is to let the water of God flow in our lives. However, I wonder if many people really understand what it means to “let the water flow.” Water is essential. It is the foundation of life. Biologists concur that without water, life couldn't be sustained. Just recently it has been discovered that there is ice on Mars. Some speculate that since there is water present on the planet, there may be, or have been life present. Water is just that important in our physical loves. The same is true in our spiritual lives. Without the Holy Spirit, the "living water" Jesus was referring to in John 7, we couldn't make it either. The Holy Spirit resides in every Christian. When our personal relationship with God began through Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit was one of the evidences of that new relationship. While many people have to worry about water conservation because of drought, no such shortage occurs with the Holy Spirit. Jesus said streams would flow from within us! The Holy Spirit resides within, providing a never-ending "well" of spiritual direction and insight. The Holy Spirit is not an extra blessing reserved for certain believers. He is there to help each of us live the Christian life more fully. How do we make that practical? By wanting Him to direct our lives. That is what Jesus was talking about in the Sermon on the Mount when He said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled". Are you going through a spiritually dry time right now? Then let Jesus unleash those rivers of living water from within you. It's the key to ending spiritual drought! Wade on out into the river of life and let it flow over you. Begin to act on your faith. Trust in His teachings. Give yourself to Him completely.