by Desiree Bustamante

We need two sources of water to thrive.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.”
Isaiah 58:11 New Living Translation

When I was young, our family would spend time at an old cabin in Minnesota. It was my job to prime the pump to get water for everyday use. Since the pump had been dormant all winter, the gasket dried out and needed priming. You prime a pump by pouring water into the top of the pump until the water flows out the spout, raising and lowering the handle until the pipe is full with water. For me, this was a fun project, but for 771 million people on earth who lack access to clean water, a pump drawing fresh water closer to their home is an immense blessing, especially when they might travel miles each day to fetch water from an unclean river or pond. The excitement of having clean, easily available water breeds childlike excitement and unmatched gratefulness.

Water has always been a precious commodity because we can’t live for more than a few days without it, or we will perish. But our souls also need a spiritual source of refreshing living water every day. Without access to Christ’s living water, our souls dry up and become like dust. We need Jesus to prime our pump so we can produce a flow of praise and gratitude to God and to produce fruit for His kingdom.

Fortunately, it’s always readily available. We only need to reach out and drink from the well of Christ’s word, forgiveness and love.

Are we as excited about our source of living water as tap water to quench our thirst? When our souls are parched, does gratefulness overwhelm us that His word is nearby, and His presence is within us? Seek out the Holy Spirit to prime the pump to produce living water that quenches our souls.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado