Living WaterSample

Pastor Andoni teaches students from the WV WASH devotonal, Jesus The Source of Living Water. ©2014 World Vision, photo by Jon Warren

Water for all who thirst

Rivers of living water – John 7

“Living water” was a powerful symbol for a nation whose story began in the desert with episodes of water scarcity. During their 40-year sojourn in the wilderness of Sinai, God miraculously provided water for the entire community.

Later generations commemorated their ancestors’ journey by observing Sukkot, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles. Families would live in temporary shelters for a week—a throwback to the tents in which their ancestors dwelled for 40 years.

Each day of Sukkot, priests would draw water from the Pool of Siloam and carry it back to the temple, passing through the Water Gate. They would walk around the altar as the choir chanted psalms, then pour the water out as an offering to God. An even more elaborate version of this ceremony took place on the last day of the festival, when the priests would process around the altar seven times.

It was at this moment—the high point of the festival—when Jesus shouted his invitation to come and drink living water from him. This scene is the capstone to all the other scenes involving water in John’s Gospel. Each story is building up to the big revelation here at Sukkot: namely, Jesus is the Giver of new life.

Pastor Andoni Phiri travels between communities in southern Zambia, repeating Jesus’ invitation to come and drink the water of eternal life. For Andoni, preaching about living water and providing access to safe drinking water go hand in hand.

Together with World Vision, the pastor believes serving the poor in Christ’s name is having an eternal impact in southern Zambia. “More people are coming to church,” Andoni says. In many cases, children—who are the focus of Andoni’s evangelistic outreach and World Vision’s community development efforts—are leading their parents to faith.

“Parents say, ‘You have changed my child so much. I want to see what they have learned here!’ Then they come to our church,” Andoni says with a smile.

Pastor Andoni recalls three women who recently put their faith in Christ. “It came about because of a child who began to talk to his parents at home.” Through a child’s influence, the mother embraced Jesus and was baptized.

“Three days later,” Andoni continues, “she brought her two friends!” They too wanted a taste of living water.

The gift of clean water is opening hearts to the eternal gift of living water.