“Let us draw near with a true
heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts
sprinkled from an evil
conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:22)
Those of us in this country
cannot imagine taking a bath or shower in dirty water, but many in other parts
of the world have no choice. They don’t even have clean water to drink. How
blessed we are! There is really no excuse for anyone in this country not having
clean water to drink or bathe in.
I recall that when I was
young we had a hand dug well in the front yard. There was also a hand dug well
on my paternal grandparents’ farm that functioned for many years. Actually, I
think it is still operative. Folks, you just haven’t tasted good water until
you have drunk from a hand dug well. It’s cold and very pure tasting. I would
add that there remains another area where I was raised that people to this day
go to with empty jugs to get fresh mountain water.
Washing dishes is something I
really don’t mind doing and actually enjoy to a point. Most guys would eat off
the floor before they would wash a plate, but I was not raised that way.
I was the oldest of two
sisters and a brother. Our chores were to do whatever needed to be done, as
long as we were physically capable. For example, my sisters were not expected
to carry in a bucket of coal because it was too heavy for them to carry. (My
brother was too young, so guess who got the job.) However, we all would help my
Dad with weeding and hoeing the garden, and my Mother with the summer canning.
In between all that we gathered the produce from the garden, helped with
household chores and also anything to be done outside; mowing the yard for
example. My Mother preferred that I mow, since I put more effort into it. My
Dad and brother gave it a lick and a promise, so they could get it behind them
and move on. By the way, for many years prior to my mowing the yard, we would
sweep the yard because we had no grass. All the children kept it worn off.
I also enjoyed ironing,
believe it or not. People rarely do that anymore except my wife on some
clothing items. My brother loved to mop the floors. I always wondered if my
Mother or Dad dropped him on his head when he was younger.
Okay, let’s get back to
washing dishes. I have seen people wash dishes in what I would definitely
consider dirty water … no, filthy water. They run the water but don’t rinse the
plates off first. I can’t stand that. I rinse the plates, etc. so well they
almost don’t need washing before I actually wash them. (Yes, we do have a dish
washer, but rarely use it. My wife uses it to store her canning jars.) The
point is: dirty, contaminated water is fit for nothing.
I’ll bet you’re wondering if
I’m ever going to get to the point. Eventually. Let’s read another Bible verse
first though.
“And he shewed me a pure
river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God
and of the Lamb.” (Revelation 22:1)
When I read this verse I
think of the river that is located near the location of my childhood. It is
called Tug Fork River and is a tributary of the Big Sandy River which is a
tributary of the Ohio River. It isn’t very clean, but I can remember that when
the miners had their two week vacation each year it would clear up … a little.
My paternal grandfather told me when I was about ten or so that when he was
growing up the river was so clear and clean you could see the bottom and the
fish swimming around. Well those days
are gone.
In the next passage Jesus is
speaking to the woman at the well. If you would like to read of the entire
account you can find it at John 4:1-21. I am only showing five of the verses
below.
“Jesus answered and said unto
her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me
to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living
water.
The woman saith unto him,
Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then
hast thou that living water?
Art thou greater than our
father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his
children, and his cattle?
Jesus answered and said unto
her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever
drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water
that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into
everlasting life.” (John 4:10-14)
Just as unclean water isn’t acceptable
to wash dishes and a dirty river isn’t suitable to swim in, man is unclean and
not fit for Heaven. If I would never wash dishes in dirty water or swim in a
river of impurities, how could I possibly expect God to allow me in His home as
an unclean vessel? The Bible says that, “For all have sinned, and come short of
the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)”
Thanks to the Gospel of Jesus
Christ I have believed and am a child of God, and because of that the Holy
Spirit purifies my life through the Word of God. (Hebrews 10:22 see above)
Because I am a child of God
my home is now God’s home and I am bound for Heaven. There will be a continual
flow of eternal life from the throne of God to each of us who are His.
(Revelation 22:1 see above)
Today we have to use
purifying methods to have clean water for drinking, bathing, washing clothes,
dishes, even our cars. Our local water company sends us a bill each month for
this service. Can you imagine drinking water from the faucet today that has not
met the purifying standards of our water plant? I don’t even want to think
about it.
We appreciate our local water
company because our earthly bodies will always thirst, but just as Jesus told
the Samaritan woman at the well, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I
shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be
in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:14)
This water is Jesus Christ.
In Him we will never thirst. Why is that? We never thirst because our spirit is
in union with His Spirit that lives within us. We will never thirst because His
righteousness is pure and undefiled, but that’s not all. He gives us His
righteousness.
“I will greatly rejoice in
the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the
garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a
bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with
her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10)
As long as we live in these
bodies we will thirst for water from the earth, but what about our soul? It
also thirsts. It thirsts for God.
Until we recognize and admit
that we are unclean, a sinful man, we will never ask God for this pure water
that can only come from Jesus Christ. We would never knowingly put water in our
body that is contaminated, but Satan waters our soul with all the contaminates
of his evil being. Now is the time to ask Jesus for the life giving water of
eternal salvation in Him and accept His righteousness.
All we have to offer are
dirty rivers, mud holes, and filthy dish water at times. Only God can give us
that water which is absolutely pure and undefiled. We get His best even when
all we have to offer Him is … well, nothing really. And that is the only way to
come to Christ. We must come to Him thirsty with nothing to offer but our faith
in Him. Then, He promises to save us by His grace. At that point our rags come
off and He clothes us with His righteousness.
Grant Phillips
Email: Phillip5769@twc.com
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
Rapture Ready: http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html