The Map To The Fountain
Jul 25 2023 - Eric Buresh
In a recent post, we celebrated the Fountain of Living Water. It is a beautiful picture of our satisfied, joy-filled life in Jesus as we drink from His eternally thirst-quenching, always abundantly flowing, cascade of spiritual sustenance. We are reminded that when we experience discontent, a lack of joy, anxiety, a troubled heart, when we grow faint and weary, or when we are tempted to seek our own satisfaction in any other source – in those moments, it is not as though the Fountain has run dry. Rather, we have wandered away from the Fountain. We have taken our eyes off of Jesus, the well-spring of our Life. Through belief and in humble dependence, turn back to the Fountain. REPENT often feels like a harsh word, but it just means to turn back to the Fountain and away from whatever other way by which you’re trying to quench your inner thirst.
Someone might say, I want to do that, but when I turn, where do I go? I don’t know how to find this Fountain? How do I get Jesus’s water? Great questions! I’m going to point you to one more closely related metaphor that the Psalmist gives us to answer these questions. In Psalm 1, we find a person who is steadfastly near to and faithfully drinking from the Fountain. They are:
Like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever [they] do shall prosper.
The secret to this abundant life? Have “delight in the law of the Lord, and in His law meditate day and night.” Psalm 1:2.
We find the Fountain, we find Jesus’s life-giving water, we find Jesus by contemplating, deliberately pondering, even ruminating on His Word all the time; not begrudgingly or out of duty, but with great delight because we BELIEVE – we have faith in the fact -- that the Word is where we find the Living Water that will satisfy us.
It is through the Scriptures that we learn about God's character, His love, His promises, and His ways. The Scriptures illuminate the path we should walk and provides clarity amidst the uncertainties of life. It is by saturating our minds with the truth of Scripture that we align our thoughts with God's perspective. Scripture shapes our worldview, enabling us to discern truth from falsehood and make life-giving that honor God instead of life-quenching choices. Through the stories, teachings, and promises in Scripture, our faith is nourished and strengthened. The Scripture is the sword by which the Holy Spirit works in us, renewing our hearts and conforming us to the image of Christ. The Holy Spirit uses the Scriptures to renew of minds and shape our attitudes, behaviors, and character.
That is why we delight in the Word. I hear all kinds of excuses for why some don’t enjoy meditating on the Scriptures. Over time, I have used most all of these explanations myself. When we’re honest, though, our lack of delight boils down to one thing. We don’t BELIEVE that meditating on the Word is where we find the Fountain of Living Water. We don’t BELIEVE that in the words on the pages of Scripture we will find satisfaction, peace and contentment. We don’t BELIEVE it. If we did, our compelling need for satisfaction would joyfully drive us to the Word. Well, by God’s grace, I do believe it. I testify to it. I know many of you do as well. If you are fighting this battle, though, I would invite you to ask God not for more discipline or more tenacity in reading the Word or even more energy, but rather ask for more faith. Faith that the Holy Scriptures are the way to find everything you need for abundant life. Faith that the Holy Spirit will use the Word when it is in front of your mind’s eye. Faith that God will do through the Word all that He promises to do. By faith, you will find delight in the Word! And by delight in the Word, you will find the Living Water!