Friend, are you traversing through a desert?
When the weight of the world collapses upon me, the feeling of that dry, desolate landscape hits my spirit fast. You know, when the baby’s cries pierce the air, the dirty dishes stack in a monstrous pile, and a heavy, seemingly inescapable dread strikes.
I’m parched, sapped of energy, and in desperate search of respite, only finding mirages in TV shows, Facebook, and yes, I’ll say it—bathroom breaks. It’s difficult, one could say impossible, to minister well to my little ones when my heart is running on empty. Sound familiar?
During these days I have to say quick prayers to the Lord to say sane, calling upon Him for sustenance. Then, if I am faithful in searching His Scriptures in a brief moment of calm, I am never disappointed.
Especially when I read about Jesus, and what He said. His statements bring to mind the truth and promise and REALNESS of the Gospel, the cup of water my thirsty soul so desperately aches for.
Where water exists there is life. Jesus Christ is water to the human soul. Share on XThe Lord created our bodies to require water to survive, and what a picture that provides for our need of Him! The theme of water is prevalent in the Bible, because it displays the revitalizing and sustaining power of God. The sensation of quenching thirst is like no other, and when we envision our faith in Jesus that way, it’s completely, utterly rejuvenating.
So the verse you’re waiting for, the verse that will supply a beautiful watering hole in the desert days of life is this:
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38
Picture that imagery for a moment. Rather than cracked, dusty, dead dirt—like when self-pity, frustration and exhaustion reign in our heart—an active, bubbling, crisp river of life is available to every believer. Scratch that, it isn’t simply available, Jesus says it is ready to flow from our redeemed hearts!
Why did Christ say this? He makes this proclamation during the Feast of Booths, one of three “pilgrim feasts” ordained by God’s Law, in which Jewish people were to come before the Lord to rest and celebrate God’s provision.
A tradition had been added by the Jews, in which a priest would pour out water as a sacrifice, to demonstrate God’s blessing. Christ uses this occasion to explain that not only does He provide physical water that nourishes bodies, but living water that saves eternal souls.
What exactly is that living water? Looking at other portions of Scripture, this water is said to be continuous—it will never run dry. It is restorative. It heals and comforts. It is pure and life-giving (John 4:14, Revelation 7:17, Revelation 22:1).
This water is the Holy Spirit (John 3:5). If Christ is your Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit is present and ready to refresh your work for God’s glory. He is ready to overflow truth, grace, and love into your heart, home, and the lives you touch, as you abide deeper in His waters.
The Holy Spirit is present and ready to water your work that it may bloom God’s glory. Share on XIn passages to His beloved people of Israel, the Lord repeatedly used water imagery to speak hope to them and invite them to be revived in His grace:
“Come, all of you who thirst, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk, without money and without cost!” Isaiah 55:1
“The LORD will always guide you; He will satisfy you in a sun-scorched land and strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:11
Today, for us as His beloved in Christ, these invitations still stand.
Wash your heart in prayer to Him. Hydrate yourself with His Word. Revive your faith through fellowship with other born-again women.
Just before this in verse 37, “Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.'” Have you come and drunk from the Savior of the World? Remember, before He can empower you to live for Him, you must first be refreshed by His gospel.
When God enters my thoughts throughout the day, I’m learning to pause and open the floodgates of His Spirit – to let Him rush over my worries, weariness, and inner whining. We must remember that we don’t have to live in the desert, for He is the everlasting stream. Drink deeply, sister!
O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
3 Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
4 So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
6 when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
7 for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
8 My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.” Psalm 63:5
In the season of dryness, the very comforting message is that the Living Waters will restore us back to life, and will revive our motherings for His Glory.
God bless, Dani
Diana
Amen Diana! He is all we need to live life fully! Thank you for reading.
Beautiful, Dani!
I had never thought of our physical need for water being a reflection of our need for the Savior – what an amazing insight! 🙂
Keep going, dear sister, and keep proclaiming the Truth 🙂
Lois xx
I know, right? 🙂 The theme of water is recurrent in the Scriptures, and for many awesome reasons! It was such a blessing to reflect on how Christ is our never-ending well. Thank you for your encouragement! 🙂
Blessings,
Dani
Thanks for this reminder! I love the pinnable graphic of those verses. God really has equipped us for this holy work of motherhood. ????
Isn’t God’s Word so revitalizing? It’s all we need. Happy to be of encouragement!
Awesome Dani! This read was a refreshing, cool drink to my soul this morning. I’m so glad I made myself slow down to read each word. Thank you for this reminder!
Praise God for His refreshing Word! Happy to be of encouragement. Thank you for reading!
I’m not a new mom. I’m not even mom to a toddler or preschooler. I’m just a worn out, weary and exhausted Mom of two special needs adolescent boys. Tonight I was feeling discouraged because for the second time this week I served take out for supper and it’s only Wednesday. But this was so encouraging. It refreshed me. Thank you so much. ❤
In every season of motherhood we are in need of His refreshing grace! Keep quenching yourself with the Gospel, my friend! Your faithfulness, not your perfection, matters to Him. Always remember you have Living Water within you – keep pouring it out to those boys in love.
In Christ,
Dani
Dani, I enjoyed reading the background of this verse. It’s something that I’ve never realized before. Thank you for that!
Great, Lauren! And you’re welcome. There’s so much to learn from His Word!
Thank you for the scripture. As for me I’m an empty nester and a widow for a month now and this desert that I’m going through is very hard so I hydrate myself on Gods word. Thank you God Bless, please pray for me.
Praise the Lord this verse touched your heart Susana. I lifted up a prayer for you right now, that our God of all comfort would fill you with joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope…that in this new season your walk with Him would grow even deeper and enable you to serve Him in new ways. Blessings, sister!
This was what I needed in this moment! Thank you!!! I love that the Spirit is there, ready to give grace. It’s not just available, it’s waiting to be poured out on us, and then onto our children!
Praise God this encouraged you, Joella! Sometimes (or all the time) we mommies need a deep drink of the Word to keep us going. Thank you for reading and blessings!
Thank you for the beautiful prayer I indeed felt the Holy Spirit lift me.God bless you and your loved ones
Thank you for sharing this message Dani. Life takes us to unchartered waters where the vastness is too overwhelming until we understand how Jesus pictured in the vastness brings a calmness to our spirit. We just lost another sibling this year. One just tries to understand His plan and purpose in our lives.
Many blessings to you Dani,
~Alexa
Thank you for this post as we reflect on Jesus Christ the living water. Awesome to know we can drink freely and be refreshed and cleansed by the water of life that is freely given. Oh how I have been blessed by this post
God bless you and the family
Amen! This is beautiful and so true. There is a song I like, For Those Tears I Died, here is a bit of what it says in the song. And Jesus said, “Come to the water and stand by my side I know you are thirsty you won’t be denied. I felt every teardrop when in darkness you cried and I strove to remind you, that for those tears I did.”
What a precious and beautiful promise!! God never leaves us nor forsakes us. In Hebrews 13: 5-6 KJV- “Let your conversation be without covetousness: and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake there.”
I claim these promises daily and need to remind myself of them when I start to feel down or get overwhelmed. Less worry and fret, and more Jesus and His precious promises and remember that He did not give His life in vain.
Thank you so much my dear Sister Christ for your ministry and reaching out to others and tell them about God’s love 💕 Continue to remain in Christ
Blessings in Christ Love,
Harmony