But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life (John 4:14).
How well we know that all the waters of earth leave us thirsty in a short time. The water that Jesus gives quenches our soul thirst. Not only so, but it becomes in us a spring of life and blessing.
When Isaac redug the wells of Abraham his father, which had been filled with earth and debris by the Philistines, he found springing water, artesian water (Gen. 26:18, 19). Every Christian is an artesian well. But how many wells have been stopped by pleasures, sin, cares of this world! They may be completely hidden, or they may be so impure, so muddy and distasteful, that others are not blessed by them.
J. Frank Norris tells of an experience in his first pastorate. A deacon who had driven many a preacher out of the little church attempted the same thing on him. Norris went to visit the deacon. At first he was uncommunicative and gruff, but after a while, through kind attention, he became friendly. They went out to the deacon's peach orchard and came to an old well. As they drew up the crystal, cold water and drank it together, the deacon told the story of the well. It had been made by his grandfather many, many years before, but had been filled up with all sorts of debris and entirely forgotten. During a great drought it was found and cleaned out, and became an unfailing supply to the people of the neighborhood. Now they were determined to keep it that way.
The young pastor put his arm around his friend and said, "Deacon, you're that well. Why don't you clean out the well?" There beside the well curb the two men prayed together, and the deacon did clean out the well and became a strong worker for Christ.
Let us by God's grace clean out the wells. Then the living waters of His mercy will bless us, and through us, the world.
MEDITATION PRAYER: "Give me this water, that I thirst not" (John 4:15).
How well we know that all the waters of earth leave us thirsty in a short time. The water that Jesus gives quenches our soul thirst. Not only so, but it becomes in us a spring of life and blessing.
When Isaac redug the wells of Abraham his father, which had been filled with earth and debris by the Philistines, he found springing water, artesian water (Gen. 26:18, 19). Every Christian is an artesian well. But how many wells have been stopped by pleasures, sin, cares of this world! They may be completely hidden, or they may be so impure, so muddy and distasteful, that others are not blessed by them.
J. Frank Norris tells of an experience in his first pastorate. A deacon who had driven many a preacher out of the little church attempted the same thing on him. Norris went to visit the deacon. At first he was uncommunicative and gruff, but after a while, through kind attention, he became friendly. They went out to the deacon's peach orchard and came to an old well. As they drew up the crystal, cold water and drank it together, the deacon told the story of the well. It had been made by his grandfather many, many years before, but had been filled up with all sorts of debris and entirely forgotten. During a great drought it was found and cleaned out, and became an unfailing supply to the people of the neighborhood. Now they were determined to keep it that way.
The young pastor put his arm around his friend and said, "Deacon, you're that well. Why don't you clean out the well?" There beside the well curb the two men prayed together, and the deacon did clean out the well and became a strong worker for Christ.
Let us by God's grace clean out the wells. Then the living waters of His mercy will bless us, and through us, the world.
MEDITATION PRAYER: "Give me this water, that I thirst not" (John 4:15).
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