Breezes blew gently, as I sat on my porch swing. I checked to see that the hummingbirds had plenty of sugar water, in their containers. I enjoyed the water fall on the electric fountain. The splashing, soothing sound was one of my favorites. Plus, I had a glass full of ice water beside me as usual.

All of this water reminded me of a sermon my pastor preached recently. It was about water and how necessary it is to us.

When I was a girl, we lived by a creek. In fact, I lived by that creek until I got married. We would watch for the wild azaleas in the spring time. They grew near the stream. But, what we enjoyed mos was a ready made swimming hole. It was deep and large enough to hold all of my siblings. There were six of us. Sometimes there would be friends, that joined us.

That water was cold. Still, we went every day. Bathing suits? No way. We were way out in the country. We had a skirt and blouse that we swam in. The brothers swam in their clothes. When we went home, we changed. Then, we threw the wet clothes across the yard fence. The summer heat would dry them for the next day.

I have a granddaughter that, as a child, was easily punished. If she got in trouble, they sprinkled water on her face. She hated it.

Today, we turn on a faucet and water comes flowing out, even hot water, on call. We never think about all that has to be done for this to happen. We just expect it.

In Bible times, the women had to go to a city well to get the water for their families. They didn’t have telephones or Face Book or Messenger. So, the water well was a gathering place to visit and share their news. Someone was always getting married or having a baby. So, there was lots to discuss and most women loved it.

Three of the ancient cities had someone clever and creative living in them. They dug a tunnel into the city that connected with a lake or river. This brought a good supply of water into the city. In those arid lands water was absolutely necessary. It is for us, too.

A well, or some kind of water supply, played a big part in many of the Bible stories. A well saved the lives of two Israel spies. Jacob found his Rebekah at a well, Hagar saw and talked with an angel by a well. Jesus talked with a Samaritan woman by a well. Gideon took his army to a stream to determine who would go home and who would fight.

Water is spoken of in the Bible many times as Living Water. To really please God we need an abundance of it in our lives.

“And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.”

Revelation 21:6