September Living Water

 

This summer, I participated in a fitness challenge for 8 weeks. The challenge encouraged our group to make small, lifelong and healthier choices. One of the healthy habits to establish was adequate water intake. This was an area I thought I did ok in, but for optimal health, you should drink half your body weight in ounces of water daily. Through the weeks I intentionally kept my water intake close to my goal. 

Then, one night I woke up with some pain and discomfort. Unable to sleep, I went to Google for information about my symptoms. It indicated a UTI - urinary tract infection. This occurs when bacteria finds it way in the bladder or urinary tract and multiplies. A remedy was to drink water to flush the bacteria out before it travels and does more damage to the body. At 2:00 AM, I began drinking water, attempting to flush the bacteria out and made an online appointment to see a doctor first thing in the morning. As daylight came, I kept up with the water intake. The discomfort seemed to ease some. I went to the doctor where the UTI was confirmed and was given antibiotics. As I left the dr, I felt almost completely back to normal. The water had worked! It had flushed out the bad bacteria and allowed my body to heal itself. Oh, the power of water!

God's Word is often referred to as water. Water is mentioned a total of 722 times in the Bible, more often than faith, hope, prayer, and worship.  Just as clear, fresh water cleanses our bodies, God's written Word washes us clean deep down inside our souls. It purifies our thoughts, scrubs our motives, and cleanses our conscience as we absorb it and obey its truths.  

The Scriptures that speak about water are powerful:

•  "but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14
• Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ John 7:18
• That he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, Ephesians 5:26
• He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. Psalms 23:2

When I was a teenager, water was not my favorite beverage. I loved the sweetness and effervescence of soda. As I matured and understood water would be a healthier choice, I made small habits to incorporate water in my diet. First step was drinking water with my meals. Then, a glass of water would be added through the day. Eventually, all I drink now is water, and I have found my body craves it. When I'm hot and thirsty, nothing satisfies and refreshes like pure water. 

I have prepared a daily Scripture reading for the month of September that focuses each day on water. The Bible is a living Word, a message from God, filled with hope, comfort, encouragement and strength. A daily intake is like taking a deep, drink of cool, refreshing water. 

I hope you will join me throughout the month of September to draw from the living well of God's Word. Here is a printable copy to follow. May God refresh our souls as we drink and allow His Word to permeate and quench every space in our hearts.