Living Water

“...But whoever drinks the water that I will give him will never become thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become a well of water for him, springing up to eternal life."  (John 4:14 )

 “...Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'" (John 7:38)

“Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here...” says the Samaritan woman

So what is this water?  It’s a question I’ve asked myself numerous times and heard it spoken of in many sermons, but I never really came to know what Jesus was referring to until recently.  I’ve discovered that no matter how sad I am, or how I am suffering, there is always joy within me.  Oh, I sometimes cover it up as I fall into the pit of sadness or self-pity but I know it’s always there and it has a way of always finding its way to the surface.

I was describing it to someone the other day and he tried to tell me that joy is fleeting. “You can’t be joyful all the time.”

 I had to disagree.  “It’s not the joy that’s fleeting.” I tried to explain.  “To be joyful  isn’t the same thing as being happy, though happiness is a byproduct of joy.   It’s the happiness which doesn’t last.  But the spring of joy within ourselves is always there, bubbling up from the bedrock of love... which is God.  There are times too,” I told him, “when the joy bubbles up with such force it has to be expressed in an outpouring of love and praise.  It can't be contained.” 

I don’t know if he ‘heard’ me but that conversation is the reason for my writing this blog and it’s something I’ve mentioned before in my blog, “Joy and Sadness”.  I’ve entertained the idea of painting how I see the living water of joy within myself and thought instead, I’d share it with you here in a “painting of words". 

As I see the image of an ever flowing, bubbling spring within me, I think of Moses striking the rock and water  gushing out so the people may drink.  (Exodus 17:6)  The joy bubbles up from the rock of God’s love as a fountain.  Sometimes the bubbling water can only rise a short distance as I haven't opened the rock enough to let it through. (I’m not loving enough).  Other times, when I am filled with the love of God, the bedrock within opens wider and  the water of joy bubbles up with such force it’s beyond containing.  It must be released and shared. 

When we are firm in the knowledge of  God’s presence within ourselves and God’s everlasting, unconditional love for us, we will recognize and experience the living water of joy and never be “thirsty” again! 

All we have to do is tap the rock of God’s love and it will come gushing forth. 

May we always know joy!