Water to Swim In

Jesus came to provide all who will trust in Him an abundant life.  This does not translated into an excess of material goods or money, for it is Jesus who said, "One's life does not consist in the abundance of things he possesses." (Luke 12:15)  The abundant life Jesus offers is one only realised through faith in Him and being born again.  It is the Holy Spirit who regenerates and dwells inside a follower of Jesus, teaching, guiding, comforting, and helping us to live for God's glory.

It is an unfortunate reality the abundant life Jesus offers is misunderstood or goes unrealised - even by people who profess to be Christians.  People thirst for knowledge, spiritual experiences, longing for God's power, and in all their labours miss the sweetness of fellowship God has for those who simply love and obey Him.  It is easy to move from the simplicity of the Gospel and become learned Pharisees who polish a clean exterior but nurse a critical and judgmental spirit within.  We can neglect to continue to pursue a deepening relationship with our Creator, content with scant knowledge and a compartmentalized Christianity.  And the worst thing is, we can think in this sorry condition of calloused familiarity we are actually living the abundant life Jesus offers.  It is disgust with our unregenerate life which awakens our understanding and desperation for new life provided by the Gospel, and dissatisfaction over our spiritual poverty after being born again which God uses to open our eyes to draw closer to Jesus Christ in faith and obedience.

Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:13-14:  "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, ¹⁴ but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."  Jesus provides the Holy Spirit, the spiritual Living Water who brings life, refreshment, and a pure, cleansing influence in and through us.  It is a life to be lived and experienced in fullness right now - not just only after our bodies go the way of the earth.  When Jesus sits enthroned in our hearts as King, LORD, and Saviour, the living water of the Spirit's presence flows through our lives.  The vivid, literal picture painted in Revelation 22:1 applies to Christians today figuratively:  "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb."

A beautiful illustration and personal application of this abundant life all can have through Christ is seen in Ezekiel.  This is a literal description of a river which will flow during Christ's Millennial reign which will heal the waters of the now Dead Sea.  Ezekiel 47:1-5:  "Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. ² He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side. ³ And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. ⁴ Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. ⁵ Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed."  Ezekiel was led along the water which flowed from the temple towards the east, towards the sun's rising.  A man measured the depth of the water which flowed from the throne.  For a thousand cubits (about 457 metres) the water came up to Ezekiel's ankles.  A thousand more cubits and the water came up to his knees.  A thousand cubits more and the waters had risen to Ezekiel's waist.  One thousand more metres and the water became too deep to walk, "water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed."  A small stream grew to be immeasurably deep and wide.

It is impossible for us to plumb the depths of God's love, wisdom, grace, and goodness.  The life God has offered us is an abundant, refreshing life, yet we can be content to splash around in ankle deep water.  The Living Water is in us, and we feel very good to be in the water when it suits us.  But how about going deeper?  What do you know of swimming around in the love and power of the Holy Spirit of God?  It is a stream of Living Water which cannot be crossed!  These waters are meant for swimming, "water in which one must swim!"  Jesus calls out to all who will listen today, "Come to me, all who thirst!"  The water is more than fine, dear friend, for it is good and glorious.  This life-giving, life-sustaining, refreshing flow continually directs us to the Risen Son, the King of Glory.  Go deeper!  Don't be content with water up to your knees when you could be immersed in the life God has provided for you!