Pools of Living Water

Yesterday, during worship, I was looking at Isaiah 35, and reflecting on the Glory of the Lord, present on the earth.  We were singing several different songs about the presence of Lord, the power of Jesus' Name, etc.  As we were singing I was understanding that the Glory of the Lord and the manifest presence of Jesus are essentially the same things, and that when Jesus shows up, He is going to Glorify and Magnify the Father, as He did all through His earthly ministry.  We as the Church, the Body of Christ, are called to do the same, for we are just an extension and continuation of His ministry.  I shouldn't say "just" for His ministry is the revelation of the Heart of the Father!

Anyway, here are the verses I was reflecting upon, Isaiah 35:1-10 NIV:

[1] "The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, [2] it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. 

[3] Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; [4] say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” 

[5] Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. [6] Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. [7] The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. 

[8] And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. [9] No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, [10] and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away."

Verses 5-7 are clearly Messianic in nature for it was not until the ministry of Jesus that we see these fulfilled.  He healed the blind, the deaf, the lame, the sick and the demonized!   The following verses from Matthews Gospel are parallel verses to these from Isaiah - Matthew 15:30-31 NIV:

[30] "Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. [31] The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel."

Jesus spoke of the stream of living or bubbling water in His conversation with the woman  at the well in John 4:13-14 NIV:

[13] "Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, [14] but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

It seems to me that faith is this bubbling water, this spring that bursts forth in the desert.  For it is through faith in Him that salvation is available, through knowing Jesus, and accepting His Gospel of Grace.  I guess we could also say the Kingdom of God is this spring of Living water, for it does include all who have experienced salvation in Him. The world is the desert, and all over the world this spring of water is welling up and overflowing!  Oh that the waters of salvation would cover the earth!

Finally, we are called to represent this same ministry to the world today!  As Jesus commissioned His followers, so are we commissioned.  He sent out his followers with these directions, "As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give." ( Matthew 10:7-8 NIV) 

- and - 

Matthew 28:18-20 NIV:

[18] "Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 

We have been given His authority, and we operate through the same Holy Spirit, and are called to let this flow out to all the world!  It is not just words but signs and wonders that prove to the world that our words and our faith in Him are true.  We are called to show the world the Glory of God, and invite them into "The Way" to Eternal life, and it is in and through Jesus.

Lord, we pray that we might rightly represent You, and glorify Your Name in all the earth!  Let our witness be streams of living water, creating pools in the dry lands!

Amen and Amen!