Pure, Refreshing Water

“O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1, NKJV).

Everywhere I go, I see people carrying a bottle of water with them. It’s not just the walkers and joggers; it seems to be almost everyone.

Water is vital to health and life. It regulates body temperature, carries nutrients and oxygen to body cells, helps the body absorb nutrients, removes waste, and cushions joints. While man can live for many days without food, the body cannot maintain itself without water for more than about five days. Without water, there cannot be life. It makes up about 60 percent of our body weight, so it’s important to keep our bodies well hydrated. Otherwise, we may begin to exhibit signs of dehydration: fatigue, headache, confusion, lightheadedness, dry mouth, little or no urine, and no tears when crying.

Most of us live where the water is safe for drinking, but this is not so in many areas of the world. In developing countries, it becomes a safety factor to drink bottled water because you are never sure of the water’s purity. When traveling in such areas, I found it necessary to even brush my teeth with bottled water. If I didn’t, I risked getting sick.

Choosing our way over God’s way is like choosing to drink contaminated water instead of the pure water He gives. It doesn’t make sense, especially since He offers an abundant free supply of refreshing, living water. If we don’t refresh our souls with this water, we can become spiritually dehydrated—tired, confused, and tearless.

Doctors say that as many as 75 percent of us may be suffering from dehydration and are not even aware of it. Is it possible that we are also spiritually dehydrated without feeling our need? It’s time for us to go to the Source of that living water and drink deeply.

“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” (John 4:14 NKJV).

Drink deeply. The water Jesus offers gives eternal life.

Prayer: Lord, remind me each day to drink deeply from the pure, life-giving water that You offer. Help me to not only drink of it myself but also to offer this living water to others who so desperately need it. In Jesus’ name, I pray.

Devotion by Mary Loudermilk