Let It Flow

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 (NLT)

A few years back, I was blessed to go to Ecuador with a team from my church to build a new church building for our Christian brothers and sisters in South America. I was excited to go, as I had never visited that continent before, plus I had never done a mission trip.

As the time drew close to depart, we began a series of meetings discussing the details of the trip. One of the details was about diet and hydration. Specifically, we were told only to drink bottled water, because the water where we were going in Ecuador was not friendly to our American bodies. There would be bottled water available at each hotel we stayed at and we could purchase more at local stores near the job site.

I, however, wasn’t thinking this concept through when well-meaning a local person brought us some fresh fruit from a “Star Tree” which grew in their backyard. I graciously accepted it and downed it in about five seconds. (Did I mention that Ecuador is very hot?) Amazingly, I didn’t get sick – or so I thought.

Upon returning to the U.S., I started having issues with my gut. Upon further analysis, it was revealed that I had picked up a very nasty bacteria, and, if not treated, it could have been fatal. Luckily, after a round of super antibiotics, the bacteria was eradicated, leaving me only with a few thousand dollars in medical bills to remember it by.

Our spiritual lives can be like this sometimes. We are told not to drink of any other spiritual thing, as the water is tainted. It may taste good at first, refreshing even, and nothing may appear to be wrong for a while. However, eventually the truth will be found out and our spiritual lives become sick and feeble.

What are the Star Fruits in your life? What things do you dabble in, or try out, thinking “I just want to experience this at least once?” They may not feel like they are harming you initially. But they will make your spiritual life sick.

That’s why Jesus says that He is the “Living Water.” He is purified. He alone is safe to hydrate our dry souls. He won’t make us sick. Instead, He will give us eternal life. Drink Him in.