The Word

UV 2256/10000 The Word
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 v 14

Jesus is described as the Word by John while Jesus interestingly refers to His words as the water of eternal life. In His person, His words, actions, sacrifice of His life on the cross and resurrection from death, Jesus answered all the searching and heart-searing burning questions of mankind as no one else has done or will ever do. Physical thirst can be quenched by water but spiritual thirst can be quenched only by the words of living water spoken by Jesus. Water has multiple uses and spiritual water or the Word has many more uses. The living water of the Word is used to cleanse us from deep within of pride, lust of the eye and lust of the flesh. It satisfies the thirst for joy. It satisfies the thirst for deliverance, for healing, for solutions, for meaning and purpose, for strength to endure suffering. It is used to satisfy the thirst for spiritual wisdom and understanding. It is useful to satisfy the thirst for spiritual power. It satisfies the thirst for love and the esteem of loved ones. It is useful to satisfy the thirst for nobility of the soul and for all round excellence. It is useful for the satisfaction of the thirst for eternal life.

The words spoken by Jesus strengthens the faith and quenches the thirst for intimacy with the Father, the Creator and the Redeemer. Once we store the word in our hearts and minds, dwell in it, meditate on it day and night, trust , obey, apply and delight in it, it wells up in us as fountains of spiritual life or the abundant life. First it begins as a spring, then it flows as a stream and finally, culminates as rivers that gush forth from our hearts. It is God alone who can direct the minds of rulers even as He changes the course of a river. He rules over our minds and hearts and directs the spiritual streams and rivers flowing therein according to the need of the hour. Each day He gives us the specific and apt word to live in and by. This is the rhema verse or portion of scripture that applies to us in the specific situation we find ourselves currently in. A river causes life on banks on either side to flourish: likewise the Word of Jesus causes our lives to flourish on either bank of life- the earthly and the eternal.

Where living water is and where rivers of living water flows, the trees of life would also grow and bear living fruit that enable people to live according to the purpose, design and will of the Lord. The words of Jesus becomes the living seed that the Holy Spirit plants in us to bear the spiritual fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control. Self control implies that we have a significant role to play. Self management and leadership should go ahead of our leadership of others and management of other things. Self control is not self reliance or relying on one’s own limited wisdom but applying the principles embedded in the words of Jesus to our lives in every aspect. The words of Jesus imbibed by us should enable us to discipline our appetites for various things- material, emotional, intellectual and spiritual.

Prateep V Philip