Pure Water Of Life - By Grant Phillips -
"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:22)
Those of us in this country cannot imagine taking a bath or shower in dirty water, but many in other parts of the world have no choice. They don't even have clean water to drink. How blessed we are! There is really no excuse for anyone in this country not having clean water to drink or bathe in.
I recall that when I was young we had a hand dug well in the front yard. There was also a hand dug well on my paternal grandparents' farm that functioned for many years. Actually, I think it is still operative. Folks, you just haven't tasted good water until you have drunk from a hand dug well. It's cold and very pure tasting. I would add that there remains another area where I was raised that people to this day go to with empty jugs to get fresh mountain water.
Washing dishes is something I really don't mind doing and actually enjoy to a point. Most guys would eat off the floor before they would wash a plate, but I was not raised that way.
I was the oldest of two sisters and a brother. Our chores were to do whatever needed to be done, as long as we were physically capable. For example, my sisters were not expected to carry in a bucket of coal because it was too heavy for them to carry. (My brother was too young, so guess who got the job.) However, we all would help my Dad with weeding and hoeing the garden, and my Mother with the summer canning. In between all that we gathered the produce from the garden, helped with household chores and also anything to be done outside; mowing the yard for example. My Mother preferred that I mow, since I put more effort into it. My Dad and brother gave it a lick and a promise, so they could get it behind them and move on. By the way, for many years prior to my mowing the yard, we would sweep the yard because we had no grass. All the children kept it worn off.
I also enjoyed ironing, believe it or not. People rarely do that anymore except my wife on some clothing items. My brother loved to mop the floors. I always wondered if my Mother or Dad dropped him on his head when he was younger.
Okay, let's get back to washing dishes. I have seen people wash dishes in what I would definitely consider dirty water ... no, filthy water. They run the water but don't rinse the plates off first. I can't stand that. I rinse the plates, etc. so well they almost don't need washing before I actually wash them. (Yes, we do have a dish washer, but rarely use it. My wife uses it to store her canning jars.) The point is: dirty, contaminated water is fit for nothing.
I'll bet you're wondering if I'm ever going to get to the point. Eventually. Let's read another Bible verse first though.
"And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." (Revelation 22:1)
When I read this verse I think of the river that is located near the location of my childhood. It is called Tug Fork River and is a tributary of the Big Sandy River which is a tributary of the Ohio River. It isn't very clean, but I can remember that when the miners had their two week vacation each year it would clear up ... a little. My paternal grandfather told me when I was about ten or so that when he was growing up the river was so clear and clean you could see the bottom and the fish swimming around. Well those days are gone.
In the next passage Jesus is speaking to the woman at the well. If you would like to read of the entire account you can find it at John 4:1-21. I am only showing five of the verses below.
"Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 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 4:10-14)
Just as unclean water isn't acceptable to wash dishes and a dirty river isn't suitable to swim in, man is unclean and not fit for Heaven. If I would never wash dishes in dirty water or swim in a river of impurities, how could I possibly expect God to allow me in His home as an unclean vessel? The Bible says that, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)"
Thanks to the Gospel of Jesus Christ I have believed and am a child of God, and because of that the Holy Spirit purifies my life through the Word of God. (Hebrews 10:22 see above)
Because I am a child of God my home is now God's home and I am bound for Heaven. There will be a continual flow of eternal life from the throne of God to each of us who are His. (Revelation 22:1 see above)
Today we have to use purifying methods to have clean water for drinking, bathing, washing clothes, dishes, even our cars. Our local water company sends us a bill each month for this service. Can you imagine drinking water from the faucet today that has not met the purifying standards of our water plant? I don't even want to think about it.
We appreciate our local water company because our earthly bodies will always thirst, but just as Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well, "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)
This water is Jesus Christ. In Him we will never thirst. Why is that? We never thirst because our spirit is in union with His Spirit that lives within us. We will never thirst because His righteousness is pure and undefiled, but that's not all. He gives us His righteousness.
"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61:10)
As long as we live in these bodies we will thirst for water from the earth, but what about our soul? It also thirsts. It thirsts for God.
Until we recognize and admit that we are unclean, a sinful man, we will never ask God for this pure water that can only come from Jesus Christ. We would never knowingly put water in our body that is contaminated, but Satan waters our soul with all the contaminates of his evil being. Now is the time to ask Jesus for the life giving water of eternal salvation in Him and accept His righteousness.
All we have to offer are dirty rivers, mud holes, and filthy dish water at times. Only God can give us that water which is absolutely pure and undefiled. We get His best even when all we have to offer Him is ... well, nothing really. And that is the only way to come to Christ. We must come to Him thirsty with nothing to offer but our faith in Him. Then, He promises to save us by His grace. At that point our rags come off and He clothes us with His righteousness.
Grant Phillips
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