Cool, Clear Water

Let us draw near with a true heart

in full assurance of faith, having our

hearts sprinkled from an evil

conscience, and our bodies

washed with pure water.

Hebrews10:22

When in grade and middle school, my delight was getting to go to the “show” (that's what we called the movies) on Saturday afternoons. Most often, I liked going to the State Theater because on Saturdays, they were usually showing cowboy movies. I loved when there was a Roy Rogers movie. Most people think Roy started out in cowboy movies when in reality, he started out in California as a singer. He was more than talented playing a guitar as well as singing. Through some amount of time, Roy helped in the forming of a men's quartet that after some struggles came to be known as “The Sons of the Pioneers.” When Roy was in a movie, you pretty much knew those singers would be hanging around a corral or campfire singing. Probably their most popular song was “Tumbling Tumbleweeds” but my favorite was “Cool Water.” It was the first time I had heard a song about water, the need and longing for it even if it was a cowboy song.

We still need and long for it but we don't tend to think about water until we have a dire need for it. There are times we do this to ourselves spiritually. Many Christians don't take in God's spiritual water on a regular basis, thus comes a time when they find themselves in the throes of spiritual thirst which isn't a good place to be. They will drink and drink at those times and then often fall back into their old patterns. A steady diet of God's water is what will keep us spiritually hydrated and healthy.

Water is something we take for granted: we bathe in it, cook with it, brush our teeth with it, water our yards with it, wash our cars with it, swim in it, water ski on it, and wash our clothes with it. We can't forget that people get baptized IN it as well. There are so many uses for water that we can't list them all. One of my favorites these days is to sit by a mountain stream, just taking in the beauty of the water dancing and splashing over and around rocks.

Water was often used by God for judgment or punishment in Old Testament days. Noah's experience was one such instance of that. Noah and his family along with a menagerie of animals were saved, but no one or nothing else. Don't forget one of the plagues Pharaoh had to endure was with the waters of Egypt being turned into blood. The Israelites wandering in the wilderness found themselves without water and gave Moses a hard time about it. Thus the rock was struck and water poured forth for the people. God's people in captivity found themselves sitting by the waters of Babylon weeping as they remembered the homeland. Armies often cut off a city’s water supply and when that was accomplished, all the enemy had to do was sit and wait. Thirst would take over and people were quick to surrender.

It is important for us to remember that it is God who is in charge of our water supply be it physical water or spiritual. Scientists of various sorts have tried to come up with ways and means of coming up with water during times of drought. Years ago, it wasn't unusual to “seed” clouds by flying into clouds in small planes, dropping chemicals of every sort and shape to encourage clouds to give off even the lightest bit of rain. Most of those efforts went for nothing despite the desperation of those who had paid huge sums to have that process done. I'm so often amazed at the arrogance of scientists who feel they are in some way in charge of nature. It would seem to me that God has never had a problem in taking care of His earth no matter what damage man does to it. Physical water in whatever form it comes (rain, snow, sleet, hail, dew, etc.) is on God's to-do list, and not on anyone elses.

The thing I love about water in the Bible is that it so often refers to spiritual need, refreshment or salvation. One can read the following verses with a good glass of ice water in hand, splash around in God's Word and be renewed and refreshed.

We must have an all consuming desire and thirst to be in God's Word with consistency. I'm always blessed as I read about a very thirsty deer that isn't just thirsty. It is so thirsty, it is panting, can't wait to get to a stream to drink. Scripture indicates that our thirst for God should be the same as that deer that pants after water.

As the hart panteth after the water brooks.

So panteth my soul after thee, O God.

Psalm 42:1

At one time, we drew living water out of the well of salvation. Praise the Lord for that water that is available to all who seek God and the salvation He offers.

Behold God is my salvation; I will trust

and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH

is my strength and my song; he also is

become my salvation. Therefore

with joy shall ye draw water out of the

wells of salvation.

Isaiah 12:2-3

Oh that wonderful water that is permanently available to us, an ever running stream that never runs dry despite the fact that we at times run dry spiritually. That water is ever present to perk us up, refresh us and bring a renewal in our spiritual lives.

But whosoever drinketh of the water that

I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water

that I shall give him shall be in him a

well of water springing up unto

everlasting life.

John 4:14

I love this next verse. In fact it is the last verse in Scripture that speaks of water. It has attached to it a wonderful invitation. No matter how thirsty we become, the water of life is available without cost. The Spirit throws out His ongoing invitation.

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.

And let him that heareth say, Come.

And let him that is athirst come.

And whosoever will, let him take

the water of life freely.

Revelation 21:17

Thank You Father for giving to us Your precious Son Jesus, the Source of our living water. May we not waste a single drop of Him but allow Him through Your Holy Spirit to continually drink in the water of life You have so lovingly provided for each of us. We love You. Amen