Living Water

I think I forgot to mention that my first audio book came out...and is doing really well. My narrator said it is the best selling audiobook upon release that they have done thus far. That makes me happy. I spent most of the day marketing and giving away free samples of the audiobook. I have a few more free samples, so if you want one, email me or contact me via Facebook Messenger.  It was a fun and effective marketing plan. The reader gets a free audiobook, and in return, shares my book link with all his friends and writes a review. So far, I am batting 1,000. I have 42 five star reviews (which is the highest) and none under 5 stars. This also makes me happy.

I took a brief break in the middle of my day from marketing my book. I took my brand new short hair kayaking for the first time. Having short hair when the wind is blowing and it is beastly hot outside is WAYYYYY more fun than having long hair. This also makes me happy.

I finished my sequel to Joe- The Horse Nobody Loved and sent it to the editor. Even while he is editing, I will still be revising and editing, but for now the bulk of my writing is done, and a period of waiting, and rest is really needed.

I hope to be traveling the next few days, and bringing my kayak. Beautiful lakes and rivers and oceans go a long way towards restoring perspective and peace in my soul. I love being on water. Thinking of that, I did a little study of living water in the Bible. Jesus doesn't just give us any old water. He gives us living water. Just look at the description of the water God provides:

Isaiah 12:3
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 35:6
Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.
Isaiah 44:3
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.
Isaiah 55:1
"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
Isaiah 58:11
The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
Ezekiel 47:9
Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.
Zechariah 14:8
On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter.
John 4:10
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."
John 4:14
but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

The woman at the well who was drawing water, and confronted by Jesus knew instantly that the water He offered was far superior to the water she could obtain on her own.

"Sir," she asked Him, "How do I get this living water?"

This is the best question on Earth. Every one of us should be asking it. It is interesting that Jesus does not really answer. He asks her to get her husband, and she admits she hasn't got a husband. Jesus matter of factly points out she is right, as the man she is living with is not her husband. In fact, Jesus notes she has had five men. She appears to be living a life of promiscuity and sin, but that is not where He focuses, and He doesn't accuse...just notes the truth. They have a discussion about prophets, and then the Messiah who was expected, and Jesus admits that is who He is. The woman leaves without her water jar. Leaving her jar must be significant. Confronted with the One with living water, earthly water is suddenly forgotten. She wonders if He could really be  the long awaited Messiah. Through her testimony, many come to Jesus and follow her back to Him. After hearing Him themselves, they declare He must be the Savior of the world.

 If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:37-38).

From my study, I learned that Jesus probably recited this verse on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. At that time, there was a 'water ceremony'. Psalms 113-118 would be recited, and then the water poured out in a funnel held high above the altar (signifying it came from heaven). an offer of special sacrifices would follow. Psalm 118 speaks of the rejection of the Lord's chosen one, but that ultimately, He would die, then live, and would become the chief cornerstone, the most important part of the foundation upon which all the walls align and stand.

The symbolic significance in Jesus claiming to be that living water cannot be missed. To obtain the living water, which flows to eternal life, He tells us in that verse exactly what we need to do to obtain it.

We must first acknowledge our need. 

If any man is thirsty.  

In our brokenness, we all are thirsty. We all long for the peace and promise of eternity and rest from our struggles of life, and all of us know we cannot find it in any earthly endeavor. We must at some point come to the realization of our inability to find what we ultimately all desire.

Come to Me

Then we must take action, we must approach Jesus. We must 'leave our water jar' and our earthly antidotes to the pain life inflicts upon us all. We must return to the only one who can truly heal us and quench that thirst for eternity with our Creator.

 And Drink

We must take Him into ourselves. It is not enough to just come, but we must fully absorb Him in our hearts, our bodies, our lives.

He who believes in Me

In our belief of who Jesus is, and what He did for us, not only will we find this living water, but out of us will flow more living water - an infinite, eternal source of blessing and hope of salvation for others.

From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water