Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Sept/65

Contributor - Simon Ter Louw

Title - Living Water

Topic - Living Water

Is. 12 : 3 - "THEREFORE WITH JOY SHALL YE DRAW WATER OUT OF THE WELLS OF SALVATION."

Living in an area where wells are few and far between, one becomes very conscious of the scarcity of good water! And what a contrast there is between the sloughs and marshes of stagnant, stale and smelly water and the clear, cold and pure water which we have so often pumped from a well that was fifty feet deep.

Years ago some of us spent many tiring hours in the fields, WALKING behind the cultivator, plow and harrow: my nephew tells of the time when he became so thirsty that he believed he just had to drink - but the only source was a pond with stagnant, tepid water. He went to the water's edge, put his mouth down near the water, but could not bring himself to drink. He returned to the barges and the harrow and worked a few more rounds - then thirst drove him back and with closed eyes and a determination to not think about the source he managed a few horrid sips, but his better judgment rebelled against it's use.

This may well be a parable - we see: 1. Man's Need - and 2. The Source of Supply.

1. MAN'S NEED:

St. Augustine was convinced that man's greatest need was God - "Man is restless until he rests in God", with this we surely agree. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord." De. 8 : 3, Matt. 4 : 4, Luke 4 : 4. Jesus said, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Matt. 17 : 26.

There is no question about it - the Bible teaches positively that man's greatest need is to be reconciled to God! "Thirsting" is one word for this: Ps. 42 - "As the hart paws after the waterbrooks, (flowing streams -, RSV) - My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God"', THIS gives us one of the clues as to the:

2. SOURCE OF THE SUPPLY.

The Psalmist is sure that when he appears before God - that is, when he gets into God's presence - he will have his thirst quenched; even as the hart will have his thirst assuaged at the flowing stream - the cold mountain stream, the Psalmist implies that a LIVING God will surely give LIVING water!

Israel had tried to quench their thirst at the "swamps" of dead and polluted water of Baal worship (shall we use "Baal" as the symbol of all their idol worship?), and it brought them nothing but grief and despair and sorrow; and finally separation from God. - But that was centuries ago we say, man no longer worships Baal, we are too intelligent for that! What about drinking at the "swamps" and polluted wells of indifference, carelessness, covetousness, self - what about drinking of worldly pleasure - of immoral living, both physical and material? Are our names on the church roll - but Sunday after Sunday is a "holiday" rather than a "holy day" - a "form of godliness but denying the power thereof" - is it any wonder there is a lack of joy and assurance - so many are drinking from the wrong wells! That the world does this is to be expected, but God's children, the Christians should be drinking from another source - he wells of "living water" - and then there will be the joy that Isaiah speaks of.

In the wilderness Israel thirsted: at God's command Moses smote the rock Horeb, and out came the life-giving water - Ex. 17 : 4. Christ is that "spiritual rock" of which all men may drink - 1 Cor. 10 4, and the "living water" of which He also spoke to the woman at the well, John 4 10.

The supply is in-exhaustible for it flows from the throne of God - pure, clear as crystal, Rev. 7 : 17; 22 : 1.

Dear reader - are you drinking from the right source? Do you KNOW this "joy" which Isaiah declares? David "id, "O taste and see that the Lord Is good", Ps. 34 : 8; We can experience this and declare with Isaiah "Therefor, with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation".

I thirsted in the barren land of sin and shame,

And nothing satisfying there I found;

But to the blessed cross of Christ one day I came,

Where springs of living water did abound.

How sweet the living water from the hills of God!

It makes me glad and happy all the way.

Now glory, grace, and blessing mark the path I've trod

I'm shouting "Halleujah" every day.

0 sinner, won't you come today to Calvary?

A fountain there is flowing deep and wide.

The Saviour now invites you to the water free,

Where thirsting spirits can be satisfied.

Drinking at the springs of living water,

Happy now am I; My soul they satisfy.

Drinking at the springs of living water,

O, wonderful and bountiful supply.

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