“Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth. May my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, like gentle rain upon the tender grass, and like showers upon the herb. For I will proclaim the name of the Lord; ascribe greatness to our God!” – Deuteronomy 32:1-3
The song of Moses begins with a beautiful picture of how the teaching of God is like the necessary water falling softly on the earth. It makes the plants grow. It sustains life. It is food for the soul. If we follow through the idea of God’s Word being like rain, we know that it can be peaceful or torrential. The truth of the Gospel can feel like a refreshing spring rain to those who love him or like a torrential downpour to those who are lost.
Water flows. It rarely is still. It is designed to seep into every nook and cranny it encounters. If we treat God’s Word like a flowing fountain, it will spread to all those around us. If we treat it as though it is held in a bottle, only those we share the bottle with will ever know of it. That is what it means to live as a Christian. Live your life with Christ flowing through every action, every word, and every thought. Live so that those around you cannot help but feel the living water touch their very soul.
“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ Now He said this about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive.” John 7:37-39b talks about the Holy Spirit as the living water. He flows like a river. He is not still. God was never meant to be contained inside our bodies. He was meant to pour out and through us so that others may taste and see that He is good.
Children need to know how to live this way. It doesn’t come naturally. They must be shown how to behave, think, and act, and then be given opportunities to do so. The world today is not forgiving. It is harsh, cruel, confusing, and twisted. If we do not teach our children that Jesus is the true living water, the world will teach them how to love a dry and thirsty land. Children must be given the tools to survive. The mightiest tool of all is that of the living water of Jesus, pouring through their every pore. Therefore, put your children into places that will teach them these skills – home, church, and school. Show your children that God is preeminent in everything. There is no second place for the Father. Set the example, and let them feel how beautiful the teaching rain of the Father can be to those who love Him.
