His Living Water Will Sustain You

My family recently visited Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, on the northern shores of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. One of the highlights was a two-hour cruise along the shoreline to view the colored rocks. The sights were breathtakingly beautiful, and God’s creation was on full display. Depending on the minerals in the water that stain the rocks, they could appear blue, green, or orange.

The day after the cruise, we visited one of the beaches along Lake Superior which is surrounded by the pictured rocks. We had a wonderful afternoon on the beach and were even able to climb some of the lower rocks. As we were sitting on the beach, my husband and sons started to gather a collection of smaller rocks along the lakeshore. Blue rocks, green rocks, orange rocks—they were all stunning.

However, as the rocks began to dry out, their color and vibrancy started to fade. They looked dull. They all began to look the same greyish color. When the rocks were dry, we were unable to distinguish them by their beautiful colors.

However, once my husband poured water on them again, the vibrancy of their color returned, and they shone beautifully. We were able to arrange all the stones together, and we quickly poured water over them and took pictures of them radiating their colors. We had no intention of taking any of them with us from the park, as we adhere to the motto, “Take only pictures, leave only footprints.”

As we continued to enjoy the beach and the sun, we did notice several other people scouring the rocks, collecting some and putting them in their pockets. My husband made a comment that struck me: “The rocks won’t look the same without water. Their beauty is revealed when they are in the water. They were made to stay in the water.” I contemplated how true this is. These people were collecting beautiful rocks, probably to display at home; however, once they were no longer in the water, they would dry out and appear dull. They would not be worthy of being on display.

I began to think about how many things are dull and lifeless without water. When my flowers don’t have enough water, they begin to wither. When my grass doesn’t have water, it turns brown. And when I don’t have enough water, I feel depleted.

I rarely leave my house without my Thermoflask of water. Even if I am running a short errand, I always try to have water with me. However, even with my 32-ounce bottle, I sometimes run out of water. It doesn’t hold enough water to sustain me for a long day out. I usually end up dehydrated, and when I am dehydrated, I know I am anything but radiant.

What if we had access to a never-ending water supply no matter where we are?

In John 4:10-15 (NIV), Jesus is speaking to the woman at the well, and he offers her living water:

 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

Jesus has offered us the gift of his living water. And if we take his living water, he tells us we will never thirst—we won’t dry out. Just as our skin looks healthier when we drink plenty of water, Jesus’ living water reveals the beauty God created in us. In his image we were created, and when we drink of his water, God’s beauty is revealed through us. We weren’t meant to do life apart from Christ. We are at our fullest, and we radiate most brightly when we are connected to God and drinking from his well.

Unlike those rocks at the lake that lost their beauty when they were removed from the water or my empty Thermoflask, Jesus’ living water will never run out. It is with us wherever we are. Every day. All the time.

Drink up.

Heather Gerwing is living the full life with her husband, Jeff, four kids, and a dog in Metro Detroit. Heather enjoys reading, writing, coffee-ing, and serving in youth ministry. She was born a Jersey girl and feels most at home on a beach. She is the host of the monthly link-up, Share Four Somethings. You can join Heather on the journey to living the full life at www.heathergerwing.com.

Photograph © Nandhu Kumar, used with permission