We canoed on what's called the Econfina creek. What I can now tell you about this creek is that it has a couple of natural springs. Matter of fact, there is a bottled water company created from this creek.
I've never seen a bubbling spring before. My husband pulled up to a spring so that I could look down into it. The water was extremely clear and as I looked down from the canoe it looked like diamonds were popping out of nowhere. It was really dark underneath those diamonds. You could also see that the water was slowly bubbling up to the surface. Beautiful! Breathless!
I got fixated on this bubbling spring for a couple of weeks. Woke up in the middle of the night thinking about it. Took a walk thinking about it.
I'd like to think that I'm a thinker. I can think about one little thing for a long time and just tear it apart (or analyze it to death)! I'm also a believer and lover of Jesus Christ.
In John Ch 4 there is a story told about a woman who goes to a well to try to get some water out of it. She runs into Jesus sitting there. Jesus asks her for a drink of water. The woman is shocked because this jew shouldn't even want to talk to her because of who she is. Jesus says to her, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me and I would give YOU living water."
Her reply, "But sir, you don't have a rope or a bucket and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water?...."
Jesus replied, "Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will NEVER be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life."
So, what exactly is the water that Jesus gives? It's living water like a bubbling spring. Did you know that water that comes out of a bubbling spring is pure and drinkable? Basically cleaned up rain water!
So how do we get the water in? Well, where does the water for the spring come from? First, it has to rain! I believe the water that Jesus gives comes into our lives like rain. It's either by one sprinkle, a few drops or a bucket at a time.
One sprinkle could be a kiss or a kind word from someone, either a friend or foe
A few drops could be a sermon, a good book or advice from a friend
A bucket of water could be a painful experience that you've come out of, a healing touch, laughter
Here's the question? How much rain does it take to become a bubbling spring?
Well in John 7: 37 it says..."Anyone who is thirsty may come to me. 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink for the Scriptures declare, "Rivers of living water WILL FLOW from the heart of anyone who believes in me."
According to this scripture as long as we believe in Jesus then living water WILL FLOW from us. Sounds to me like we don't have to "do" anything to get this flow of water. We just need to accept Jesus into our hearts and wait for the rain. This verse is a promise and guarantee that if we believe we will be a bubbling spring. Bubbling spring= beauty, diamonds, overflow, pure, fresh.
Did you know the process that rain water has to go through to become a bubbling spring? Well, I didn't either so I googled it. Check out this video.
So, rain comes down like I said earlier, then we have to be permeable (or weak) to allow the rain water to seep deep down into us. If we are impervious like asphalt then the water just evaporates. Have you ever seen pavement when the sun is beating down on it after a rain? The water just evaporates and it looks alot like steam! So, if the rain water doesn't have time to go beyond the surface then it just looks like steam. Mmm?
How many times have I received some rain from God and attempted to do too much and then I ended up letting out alot of steam? Got burnt out (not by the sun in the sky), angry and tired. Help me count the times!!
When we wait and have patience then it gives the rain the time to seep in and go beyond the surface. The deeper it goes the purer it becomes. I like the fact that Mr. Jones said in the video that rain water is full of impurities. That is so true. We get alot of our rain from others and unless it is coming direclty from Jesus Christ then it is going to have some impurities in it. Jesus has to take it and make it pure and the only place to do that is deep within the heart, once it has passed through all of our imperviousness and into the permeable parts of us. I think the impervious parts of us are the parts of us that still believe in many of the lies that the serpent has fed us over our lives.
As humans we are way more likely to be impervious because of past hurts and fear. After seeing the bubbling spring and how beautiful it was I want to pray that I will from now on be permeable. I want the living water to seep deep down into my heart so that I can be beautiful and bubbling from within. I can be pure because Jesus Christ lives within me and he is pure living water!
For me sometimes the overflow or the bubbling spring is tears. Because tears for me means I let go of all control and allow the Holy Sprit deep within and it cleanses me.
In the video Mr. Jones also says that Temples were built around springs. This means that people were drawn to the spring because it was pure and drinkable. I believe the more we allow the living water deep within the more people will want to be around us because we are giving off an air about us that others want to share in. Plus, if we are not bubbling over then people can drink from us and then comes the steam again!
Can we deplete our bubbling spring? Of course, we are afterall human. This is why we have to depend on Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit for more rain water each day. There is a promise for more when we are dry.
Isaiah 48:11 The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an every-flowing spring.
So, yet another promise to fill us up again and again!
You want to be a bubbling spring? Pray this with me!
Dear Heavenly Father,
I come to you because of what Jesus Christ did for me on the cross. I thank you for the water cycle and what it means to me. I pray that I will be permeable and allow your living water to reach the depths of my heart and that you will cleanse all of my impurities so that I will be a bubbling spring for you. Thank you for your love for me!
Amen
Living Loved and Freely,
Elizabeth
P.S. Why does God use water to describe things? Because it is very adaptable. It can be a liquid, solid or a gas. More stories to come on water and walking with God.
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