Water

Our body is about 75% water, approximately 3/4 of the earth's surface is covered by water and all living organisms around us (on which our life depends) are mostly water.

Every single living cell is made up of water (intracellular fluid) - including our own body cells - and surrounded by water (extra cellular fluid). Every one of our body's tissues and organs, as well as every one of the body's sustaining process, such as thinking, nerve function, blood circulation, digestion, locomotion and elimination, requires water in order to function properly. Lack of water in the body tends to give rise to dehydration, thereby posing hurdles for the blood to circulate. The gravity of problem increases, as it causes the brain to become less active and your body feels tired and fatigued. Water keeps the digestive system in order and flushes out the waste products from your body.

I love word pictures and how Jesus taught…so I decided to do a little study on water and how it relates to the Living Water. I find it interesting that our very survival as human depends on the consumption of water; not only that, but it is in every cell…the majority of our being and the creatures around us are made up of water. Suffice to say that without it we would all cease to exist.

So how does that relate to the Living Water of Jesus Christ? Water is mentioned in the Bible 396 times in the KJV (485 in the NIV). Some are pure references to actual drinking water, some refer to bodies of water and yet others relate to this idea of living water.

John 4:10-14 "Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"

Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

The Greek word for “living” used in this context is "zao" and means:
1)to live, breathe, be among the living (not lifeless, not dead)
2)to enjoy real life, to have true life and worthy of the name
3)to live i.e. pass life, in the manner of the living and acting
4)living water, having vital power in itself and exerting the same upon the soul
5) to be fresh, strong, efficient
6) as adj. active, powerful, efficacious

When we drink water for our bodies, we give life to our cells. Immediately brain and nerve function are improved, we expel wastes and toxins, we are refreshed. However, as Jesus stated, we become thirsty again in our humanity.

When we drink the Living Water, we give life to our souls through the Holy Spirit. We are cleansed and expel the toxins of sin, have eternal refreshment, eternal life, and strength in life on Earth. We can become “active, powerful and efficacious” and “fresh, strong and efficient” when we go to the true source of Life each day…we can “enjoy real life”.

We can also give life to others by our example: "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” When we accept Jesus and believe in Him, we are filled with rivers of living water. I believe that the more we are filled, the more we “spill out” onto those around us.

We drink enough water to make sure our bodies are hydrated and running properly. I wonder if we have the same urgency to “drink” from the Word and hear from the Lord daily so our spiritual bodies are in tip top shape? Are we being filled? Drinking from other fountains? Or are we walking around dehydrated, weary, less than functional and dry from our lack of Living Water?