River of Living Water

In this encounter with the woman at the well, it takes some time for the woman to catch on that Jesus is not talking about natural things.

When He starts talking about living water she says this.

“Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? (John 4:11 NASB)

I started to ponder this question. What did Jesus have with which to draw. He was talking about a well, or better, a spring of living water. How was He able to draw from this well of living water?

photo credit: las – initially via photopin cc

To take water from a fountain you would need a bucket of some sort. (For you who like old lingo substitute the word vessel where I use a bucket.) And in the case of a well, you would need a rope to lower and raise your bucket.

Jesus tells us this ‘living water’ is the Spirit, but how to find a bucket that can hold this living water? The fact is you actually have to become the bucket, be the bucket, man! [Tweet This]

Jesus laid out a detailed plan for this in Matthew 5:3-11. Religious folks call this the Beatitudes, today we will call it the ‘How to be a bucket list.’

• Poor in spirit – see you need before God
• Mourn – confess and forsake your own sin
• Meek – submitted to the heart of the Father
• Hungry and thirsty for righteousness – walk in a way than shuns sin in your own life.
• Merciful – tempered by an unwavering mercy, fed by the mercy you have received.
• Pure in heart – keeping yourself free from guile, seeking His face daily, hourly,  moment by moment
• Leading men to peace with their Heavenly Father.

This is the path Jesus laid out to truly blessed life – one flowing with living water.

If you want an abundance of this living water, start with step one and get your bucket on.

Thanks for coming by today.

See. You tomorrow.

Ben

For lots of detail on this ‘How to be a bucket list’ check out my series on the Beatitudes.