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Jesus said, "Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst - not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life."
John 4:13-14 (CEV*)
The Samaritan woman to whom Jesus was speaking was confused by this statement of Jesus. She had been drawing water from a well, and thought Jesus was speaking of physical water. Of course Jesus was speaking metaphorically.
In the Old Testament, water is frequently used metaphorically as a symbol of satisfaction of the highest need of humans. God himself is described as "the source of life-giving water." (Jeremiah 2:13, CEV*) Jesus is using this metaphor to refer to a spiritual gift.
Jesus is offering spiritual bounty to those who "drink" of Him. He is referring to the indwelling Christ who "has been staying with you, and will even be in you!" (John 14:16-17, The Message*)
The Living Christ, who will dwell within us if we allow him to, gushes fountains of endless life. This is expressed in such spiritual gifts as the peace that transcends human understanding (Philippians 4:7), a deep and abiding joy (John 15:11 & 17:13), a life full of spiritual abundance (John 10:10), and the inner strength to face whatever life brings (Matthew 7:24-25). This Christ Within "makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled." (Galatians 5:22-23, CEV*)
You may note that you believe in Christ, yet you don't always manifest these gifts of the spirit. Me too! That's because we take our focus away from Christ and stop drinking the Living Water. We need to abide in that Living Water.
Dear friends, drink the Living Water and experience the gushing fountains of endless life.
Bill Samuel
* Contemporary English Version ©1995 American Bible Society. The Message ©1993 by Eugene H. Peterson.
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