John 7:37-39 – On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. (NIV)

Water! It's funny how water can affect us. We moved to a small town that has a river running through it. There are two dams and a waterfall. We don't live far from the river, so when I take my dog out for a walk, which is three or four times a day, I am drawn to the river. My feet go that way. I love hearing the sound of the water going over the dam, or watching the water rushing over the falls. I've lived most of my life beside what I called big water: Lake Ontario, Lake Huron, and Georgian Bay. Water is comfortable, when it is lapping peacefully on the shore, but not so much when it invades our basement or inundates our property. Then, it can be scary and lead to panic.

The Holy Spirit, among other familiar images, is also referred to as water, living water. And much like water, He can be a wonderfully comforting and renewing presence in our lives. He can also come with force and shake up our world — which is not really a bad thing. We see the power of God at work to turn things on their ear and bring about wonderful transformation. I love it.

So I shall keep walking by the river — walking with the Holy Spirit, listening for the sounds and gentle nudges, hopefully ready for change as His living water flows over me, transforming me more and more into Christ's image.

As water is necessary for life, so the Holy Spirit is necessary in us to become Christ-like. Are you ready for Him today? Let's pray together:

Prayer: Life-giving Spirit, flow in me. Bring renewal, new life, not only to me, but to all around me. Amen.

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About the author:

Nan St. Louis <nanstlouis1@gmail.com>
Durham, Ontario, Canada
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