Flowing Triplets: Fount of Every Blessing

 

As we saw last week, the signature of the Trinity is evident even in the triune nature of water that sustains, nourishes, and cleanses us! This is true not only in the physical realm, but also in the spiritual sense. Christ Himself is the Living Water, the Fountain of every blessing, and the cleansing Flow Who alone can give us eternal life (John 3:16), abundant life (John 10:10), and salvation from our sins (Romans 1:16).

When Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-42), she had come to draw water to satisfy her physical thirst (v. 13), but her needs were deeper than that. Her broken relationships had left her in an emotional desert (v. 16-18), and her spiritual drought led her to seek answers in religious tradition (v. 20) rather than in the Living Water Who had come to her personally.

Jesus knew the significance of this Divine appointment, for He left Judaea, and was headed to Galilee, but “must needs go through Samaria” (v.3-4). This was an odd route to choose, as the Jews of that day were prejudiced against the Samaritans and would have gone to great lengths to avoid them (v. 9). Yet He tells her that if she had realized the gift of God the Father in sending His Son to earth, she would have asked Him for Living Water, referring to the Holy Spirit (v. 10) He gives freely to anyone Who trusts Him.

Still not recognizing Who sat before her, the woman brings up three worldly obstacles to accepting Him, which are still a stumbling block to those who reject Him even today. She saw Him as lacking physical power (for He appeared to have no bucket to draw the water), as being no match for the physical challenge (the well was deep), and as lacking the prestige of the patriarch Jacob, who had given the well to provide water for himself, his descendants, and his cattle (v. 11-12):

Sadly, many lose out on the freely given gift of salvation because instead of trusting Him, they trust their own flesh (Philippians 3:4-8), they fear the opinions of the world (James 4:4), and they rely on their religious traditions (Colossians 2:8; 1 Peter 1:18).

Jesus told the Samaritan woman that whoever would receive His gift of living water would never thirst; for that water would be a well (fountain) of water, springing up into everlasting life (John 4: 14).  Later He offered the same free gift to the Jews gathered at the feast of tabernacles, saying “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. As the Scriptures had prophesied, whoever believed in Christ would have rivers of living water flowing from his belly, with the Holy Spirit giving him the Word of Truth (John 7: 37-39).

God brought His chosen people, the nation of Israel, into the Promised Land, described as a good land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills (Deuteronomy 8:7). On their journey, God provided water in the desert by standing before Moses on the rock in Horeb, having Moses strike the rock, and causing water to spring from the rock (Exodus 17: 5). God’s provision of water for His people was spiritual as well as physical, for Christ was the Rock from which their spiritual drink flowed (1 Corinthians 10:4).

But Moses was not permitted to enter the Promised Land because of his subsequent disobedience (Numbers 20: 7-12). On that occasion, God gave Moses clear instructions to provide water to the people by speaking to the rock which would give forth water, proving God’s goodness before their eyes, and bringing them water that flowed from the rock.

Instead, Moses did not believe God would do this, so he chastised the people and struck the rock twice with his rod. Because of the earlier incident, Moses may have thought the power was in the rod rather than in the One Who had given it to Him as a sign of His power. Moses even implied that he and Aaron, not God, had the power to provide the water by asking the people “must we fetch you water out of this rock?”

The sin of Moses was therefore threefold: lack of faith, disobedience, and pride, which are the root cause of all sin even today. The consequences of his sin were that he lost the power of his testimony with the Israelites; he was not permitted to enter the Promised Land; and he had struck the rock, or Christ, twice, foreshadowing how the Jews would scourge and crucify their promised Messiah.

Even though God provided abundantly for His people, they rejected Him as the fountain of living waters (Jeremiah 17:13). Instead they placed their trust in false gods that were as useless as broken cisterns that held no water and as polluted as the Egyptian waters of Sihor (the Nile) and the river waters of Assyria (Jeremiah 2:13-18).  But thankfully, God extended His gracious offer of salvation to all people, the Samaritan woman being an early example of a Gentile who could be grafted into God’s family tree by trusting in Christ (Romans 11:17-24).

The Song of Solomon speaks of the Bridegroom and His beloved as a metaphor foreshadowing the relationship between Christ and His church (Ephesians 5:23-32), meaning all those, whether Jew or Gentile, who are born again (John 3:3-8). He is a fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon, and she is an enclosed garden, a spring shut up, and a fountain sealed, referring to her spiritual purity in Him. His living water allows her to be fruitful, producing pleasant fruits, spices, and healing plants (Song of Solomon 4:12-15).

As soon as the Samaritan woman realized that Jesus was the Christ, sent of the Father to be worshipped in Spirit and in truth (John 4:23-26), she left behind the cares of this world, symbolized by her water pot; ran back to the city without fear of facing those who had rejected and scorned her; and spread the Good News that she had found Christ (v. 28-29).

Once we are born again by placing our trust in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), should we not do the same, and tell everyone how He has changed us? Thanks to the Samaritan woman’s testimony, her salvation led to the salvation of those who believed her witness, and to the salvation of those who were just curious at first but who came to see Him for themselves (John 4:39-42). Praise God that whosoever believes in His Son can now have the Spirit of living water within him!

Not only is God the Living Water and the Fountain of every blessing, but His blood is the cleansing flow that washes away all our sins (1 John 1:7). The covenant God had with Israel was that He would wash her with water, thoroughly wash away the blood of her sins, and anoint her with oil (Ezekiel 16:8).

Old Testament sacrifices requiring animal blood and ritual cleansing with water and herbs only covered sins and had to be repeated often (Leviticus 14: 4, 51-52). Trespass offerings of oil and blood of the slain animal had to be placed on the right ear, right thumb, and right great toe of the person to be cleansed (Leviticus 14:14,17,25,28)

Yet Christ’s shed blood that flowed freely for us has once and for all removed us from our sins (1 John 1:7), past, present and future. He is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth, Who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and made us kings and priests unto God and His Father (Revelation 1:5-6).

Before Jesus even reached the cross, His blood flowed mingled with sweat (Luke 22:44) in His passionate prayer at Gethsemane; from the crown of thorns piercing His head (Matthew 27:29; Mark 15:17); and from the agonizing whipping He bore on His back (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24). On the cross, blood flowed from His nail-pierced hands and feet (Luke 24:39-40) and gushed from His side, where the soldier stabbed Him, releasing not only blood but water (John 19:34).

Even in the Great Tribulation, those who trust Christ and deny the antichrist will be washed clean in the blood of the Lamb, will never thirst again, and will be led to living fountains of waters (Revelation 7:13-17).

Praise God that Christ will come again, bringing peace to Israel like a river and glory to the Gentiles like a flowing stream, nourishing all with His life-giving sustenance! (Isaiah 66:12). In that day, when living waters shall flow from Jerusalem; the Lord shall be king over all the earth, there shall be one Lord, and His Name shall be One (Zechariah 14:8-9).

Revelation 21:6 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.

© 2014 Laurie Collett

What If the Mayor Calls?

 

I had a dream in which I was attending a professional convention held at an elegant hotel, accompanied by my son, who in the dream was still a small child. We had checked in to a luxurious suite on the penthouse level, provided gratis by the organizer. I had started to unpack the bags that the bellman had delivered, full of beautiful garments and jewelry I didn’t recognize.

I suddenly felt overwhelmed by the urge to explore our surroundings, and in my haste I left piles of clothing on the sofa rather than placing them in drawers, and even left jewelry out on the tables in the sitting area. I grabbed my son’s hand and led him into the hall, not even minding that the door was unlocked and open. Even worse, our suite was by a busy elevator where many people were coming and going, laughing, chattering and dressed for an evening of partying.

“But what if the mayor calls?” my son asked.

I looked at him quizzically, then giggled. “Well, if he does, I’m sure he’ll leave a message.”

We got on the elevator, surrounded by the intoxicating aromas of perfume, cologne, and alcohol swirling through wispy clouds of cigarette smoke. I sighed, starting to regret bringing my son into this tainted atmosphere. Soon we reached the basement and exited near the pool, where the air was heavy with chlorine and the muffled sounds of pump filters and whirlpool jets.

I had thought we might go for a swim, but the pool was packed with seniors doing a water aerobics class. So we boarded the elevator again and exited on the third floor, where a formal ball was in progress. My son had learned to dance when he was five, so I suggested we go back to our room and change for the party.

Thankfully, someone had closed and locked the door of our room after we had left, and it appeared that nothing had been disturbed. My son pointed out that there was a blinking silver light near the ornately carved, ivory telephone with gold filigree trim.

“Maybe the mayor called,” he said.

I shrugged, not really wanting to check messages. “Oh, we’ll worry about that later.”

I awoke with a sense of remorse over not listening to my son’s repeated warning, for out of the mouths of babes comes praise and strength (Matthew 21:15-16; Psalm 8:2). To be saved by trusting in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior Who died to pay for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) to give His followers eternal life (John 3:16), we must have a childlike faith (Matthew 18:3-4; 19:14).

One day Jesus Christ will return again to defeat the enemies of Israel and the devil himself, and He will then reign over the new Jerusalem for one thousand years as the Mayor of that holy city and as Lord over all (Revelation 21:1-5). We must wait for, heed and follow the Mayor’s call!

As born-again believers (John 3:3-8), we are so blessed to have the privilege of constant communication with Him even now, should we so desire (Hebrews 4:16). Yet He will not force His will or His guidance on us (Revelation 3:20), and so often we are guilty of ignoring His still, small voice (1 Kings 19:12) and not even caring to listen to what He has to say (1 Thessalonians 5:19, Ephesians 4:30).

In the dream, I dismissed my son’s reminders to wait for the Mayor’s call, because I was too distracted by worldly lures, represented by the hints of drinking and flirtation on the elevator. But Scripture tells us to be sanctified, or set apart (Romans 15:16; 1 Corinthians 6:11). We should flee temptation (2 Timothy 2:22; 1 Corinthians 10:13) or risk being dragged down to the basement level. The world offers “solutions” to the consequences of succumbing to these temptations, symbolized in the dream by the chlorine in the pool and rituals to improve physical fitness.

But nothing but the blood of Christ can wash away our sins (Revelation 1:5), and for a daily cleansing we need to be washed in the pure, living water (John 4:10-14) of His Word (Ephesians 5:26) that forever quenches our thirst! What a contrast to harsh chlorine that could burn us and yet not protect us from all bacteria and parasites, representing the filthy contaminants in today’s world. The consequences of sin are disease and death, and only Jesus is the cure (Romans 6:21-23). Physical exercise is of little benefit if we are spiritually unfit (1 Timothy 4:8).

Evangelicals often frown upon all dancing, yet there is a distinction between worldly dancing, used as a sexual provocation (Matthew 14:6-9), and dancing as an expression of joy and worship. Approximately two thirds of references to dancing in Scripture are in the context of offering praise to the Lord (Psalm 150:4), as in David dancing before the Lord (2 Samuel 6:14), Miriam rejoicing over God’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage (Exodus 15:20-21), and even John the Baptist leaping for joy in the presence of His Savior while he was still in his mother’s womb! (Luke 1:41-44)

Dancing to me is a unique form of human expression because it involves our whole triune being: body, soul and spirit, reflecting the image of God as the Trinity (Genesis 1:26-27), symbolized in the dream by the third floor where the dance was taking place. Once my husband and I were saved, we realized that God had uniquely equipped us through our dancing experience and training to use this art form as a ministry to reach the lost with the Gospel message.

Upon awakening from the dream, I also experienced regret that I was not saved until my son was 10 years old, and that I had therefore missed the potential opportunity of raising him in a Christian environment before then. But praise the Lord, His timing is always perfect (Ephesians 1:10). Thanks be to God that He did give me the opportunity to share the Gospel and Scripture with my son once I was saved, and our son came to know the Lord soon after we did.

Once we are saved, we are seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:3; 2:6), represented in the dream by the lovely penthouse suite He had so graciously provided as a freely given gift. The abundant blessings of clothing and jewelry are reminiscent of our garments of salvation, for the Lord has covered us with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns himself with ornaments, and as a bride with her jewels (Isaiah 61:10).

 
These freely given gifts also reminded me of how the prodigal son was treated when he returned home to his Father (Luke 15:22). Yet, like the prodigal, we often fail to be good stewards (1 Peter 4:10), indicated in the dream by my carelessly leaving these blessings strewn about and unsecured. Praise the Lord, He is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9; 10:13) even when we are not, and in the dream someone else had locked the door, protecting us from the consequences of my being irresponsible.

The dream reminded me to listen and follow when our Lord calls, to remain in the world and yet not of it by being set apart, and to flee temptation. May we be Godly examples to those He entrusts to our care and good stewards of all the many blessings He has provided, until He comes again!

© 2019 Laurie Collett

Edited and reposted from the archives

Pentecost: Filling of the Holy Spirit

 

This Sunday, the church calendar commemorates Pentecost, when Christ's disciples were indwelled by the Holy Spirit. In these perilous times in which we now live, may all believers yield to the Spirit so that His light shines through us to illuminate the darkness!

In Scripture, cleansing water (1 John 5:6,8) and burning oil may each symbolize the Holy Spirit, Who has qualities of Living Water (Jeremiah 17:13; John 4; 7:38) as well as of holy fire (Isaiah 10:17). John the Baptist practiced baptism by water as the forerunner to Christ’s baptism by the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:36). John’s baptism by water was an act of repentance for sin, but Christ’s baptism with the Holy Ghost was compared to fire (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16).

Christ’s shed blood washed believers clean of all sins (Revelation 1:5). After Christ’s completed work on the cross and His resurrection, the Holy Spirit, like cloven tongues of fire, landed on the disciples at the feast of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). The resulting filling by the Spirit allowed the disciples to speak in languages other than their native tongue, for the purpose of spreading the Gospel message to people of all nations.

The parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25) suggests that only those virgins with oil burning in their lamps – those who are indwelled by the Holy Spirit – will be admitted to the marriage supper, representing the Rapture to meet the Bridegroom in the air.

To be indwelled by the Holy Spirit, we must be born again, first by water (the physical birth) and then by the Spirit (John 3:5-8). This requires cleansing from our sins through our repentance and God’s forgiveness due to the substitutionary death of His Son (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10). We must place our faith in Jesus Christ’s death, burial and resurrection (1 Cornthians 15:1-4) as our only Way to Heaven (John 14:6). As we realize, and continue to learn more and more about, Who He is, our hearts will burn within us (Luke 24:32), and we will be on fire for the Lord.

Water is sometimes called the universal solvent, because its cleansing action dissolves impurities and flushes them away. In contrast, oil tends to adhere to small particles, keeping them in contact with the skin or other surface. First we shower and then we apply perfumed body oil or beauty cream – it wouldn’t make much sense to reverse the order!

Similarly, we need the cleansing action of the Living Waters before the oil in our Spirit-filled lamps can burn brightly with a sweet fragrance. God dealt with Jerusalem and His chosen people in a similar sequence – first He cleansed them with water, and then He anointed them with oil (Ezekiel 16:9).

We see a moving example of cleansing and anointing in Luke 7 (38-48), in the sinful woman who wept at Jesus’s feet, washing them with her tears. No doubt her tears were shed in Godly sorrow, in repentance for her sins, as were the tears of David (Psalm 6:60;119:136) and Jeremiah (9:1,18; Lamentations 3:48). First her tears cleansed His feet from the dust and grime of the dirty roads, symbolizing the sins of the world, for Jesus Himself had no sin (Hebrews 4:15).

Then she wiped His feet with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with precious ointment. The oil in ointment allows it to preserve and convey perfume, spices and other costly substances. This woman stored her ointment in a precious alabaster box, which may have represented her dowry or all her worldly treasure. Yet she broke open the box and bestowed all the ointment lavishly on Jesus without considering the cost, because her heart was ignited by the Holy Spirit with passion to serve Him.

In a rainy parking lot, we may see oil drops floating on the wet pavement, causing a striking, rainbow-hued, swirling pattern known as a fractal. The light would not reflect in this jewel-toned design were the oil not aligned in a thin film, buoyed up by the water beneath. Similarly, the light and beauty of the Holy Spirit are not visible unless carried afloat by the Living Water indwelling each believer.

Cleansing, purification and anointing, as symbolized by water and oil, are essential to true worship. Oil and water in Scripture also reflect God’s provision, blessing, power, and judgment. May currents of living water flow forth from each of us, supporting the oil of the Spirit to reflect His brilliant light!

© 2013 Laurie Collett
Edited and reposted from the archives

Water and Oil: Cleansing and Holy Fire

 

I was about to enjoy a crispy salad for lunch when I was reminded that oil always floats on water. As long as I kept shaking the bottle of salad dressing, oil droplets swirled through the vinaigrette, but as soon as I stopped, the oil rose to the top in a smooth layer. That got me thinking about Bible references to water and oil, and their complementary qualities as symbols of God’s mercy and grace.

In Scripture, cleansing water (1 John 5:6,8) and burning oil may each symbolize the Holy Spirit, Who has qualities of Living Water (Jeremiah 17:13; John 4; 7:38) as well as of holy fire (Isaiah 10:17). John the Baptist practiced baptism by water as the forerunner to Christ’s baptism by the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:36). John’s baptism by water was an act of repentance for sin, but Christ’s baptism with the Holy Ghost was compared to fire (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16).

Christ’s shed blood washed believers clean of all sins (Revelation 1:5). After Christ’s completed work on the cross and His resurrection, the Holy Spirit, like cloven tongues of fire, landed on the disciples at the feast of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). The parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25) suggests that only those virgins with oil burning in their lamps – those who are indwelled by the Holy Spirit – will be admitted to the marriage supper, representing the Rapture to meet the Bridegroom in the air.

To be indwelled by the Holy Spirit, we must be born again, first by water (the physical birth) and then by the Spirit (John 3:5-8). This requires cleansing from our sins through our repentance and God’s forgiveness due to the substitutionary death of His Son (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10). We must place our faith in Jesus Christ’s death, burial and resurrection (1 Cornthians 15:1-4) as our only Way to Heaven (John 14:6). As we realize, and continue to learn more and more about, Who He is, our hearts will burn within us (Luke 24:32), and we will be on fire for the Lord.

Water is sometimes called the universal solvent, because its cleansing action dissolves impurities and flushes them away. In contrast, oil tends to adhere to small particles, keeping them in contact with the skin or other surface. First we shower and then we apply perfumed body oil or beauty cream – it wouldn’t make much sense to reverse the order!

Similarly, we need the cleansing action of the Living Waters before the oil in our Spirit-filled lamps can burn brightly with a sweet fragrance. God dealt with Jerusalem and His chosen people in a similar sequence – first He cleansed them with water, and then He anointed them with oil (Ezekiel 16:9).

We see a moving example of cleansing and anointing in Luke 7 (38-48), in the sinful woman who wept at Jesus’s feet, washing them with her tears. No doubt her tears were shed in Godly sorrow, in repentance for her sins, as were the tears of David (Psalm 6:60;119:136) and Jeremiah (9:1,18; Lamentations 3:48). First her tears cleansed His feet from the dust and grime of the dirty roads, symbolizing the sins of the world, for Jesus Himself had no sin (Hebrews 4:15).

Then she wiped His feet with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with precious ointment. The oil in ointment allows it to preserve and convey perfume, spices and other costly substances. This woman stored her ointment in a costly alabaster box, which may have represented her dowry or all her worldly treasure. Yet she broke open the box and bestowed all the ointment lavishly on Jesus without considering the cost, because her heart was ignited by the Holy Spirit with passion to serve Him.

In a rainy parking lot, we may see oil drops floating on the wet pavement, causing a striking, rainbow-hued, swirling pattern known as a fractal. The light would not reflect in this jewel-toned design were the oil not aligned in a thin film, buoyed up by the water beneath. Similarly, the light and beauty of the Holy Spirit are not visible unless carried afloat by the Living Water indwelling each believer.

Cleansing, purification and anointing, as symbolized by water and oil, are essential to true worship. Oil and water in Scripture also reflect God’s provision, blessing, power, and judgment, as we shall see in subsequent posts.

May currents of living water flow forth from each of us, supporting the oil of the Spirit to reflect His brilliant light!

© 2013 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

 

Pentecost: Filling of the Holy Spirit

This Sunday, the church calendar commemorates Pentecost, when Christ's disciples were indwelled by the Holy Spirit. In these perilous times in which we now live, may all believers yield to the Spirit so that His light shines through us to illuminate the darkness!

In Scripture, cleansing water (1 John 5:6,8) and burning oil may each symbolize the Holy Spirit, Who has qualities of Living Water (Jeremiah 17:13; John 4; 7:38) as well as of holy fire (Isaiah 10:17). John the Baptist practiced baptism by water as the forerunner to Christ’s baptism by the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:36). John’s baptism by water was an act of repentance for sin, but Christ’s baptism with the Holy Ghost was compared to fire (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16).

Christ’s shed blood washed believers clean of all sins (Revelation 1:5). After Christ’s completed work on the cross and His resurrection, the Holy Spirit, like cloven tongues of fire, landed on the disciples at the feast of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). The resulting filling by the Spirit allowed the disciples to speak in languages other than their native tongue, for the purpose of spreading the Gospel message to people of all nations.

The parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25) suggests that only those virgins with oil burning in their lamps – those who are indwelled by the Holy Spirit – will be admitted to the marriage supper, representing the Rapture to meet the Bridegroom in the air.

To be indwelled by the Holy Spirit, we must be born again, first by water (the physical birth) and then by the Spirit (John 3:5-8). This requires cleansing from our sins through our repentance and God’s forgiveness due to the substitutionary death of His Son (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10). We must place our faith in Jesus Christ’s death, burial and resurrection (1 Cornthians 15:1-4) as our only Way to Heaven (John 14:6). As we realize, and continue to learn more and more about, Who He is, our hearts will burn within us (Luke 24:32), and we will be on fire for the Lord.

Water is sometimes called the universal solvent, because its cleansing action dissolves impurities and flushes them away. In contrast, oil tends to adhere to small particles, keeping them in contact with the skin or other surface. First we shower and then we apply perfumed body oil or beauty cream – it wouldn’t make much sense to reverse the order!

Similarly, we need the cleansing action of the Living Waters before the oil in our Spirit-filled lamps can burn brightly with a sweet fragrance. God dealt with Jerusalem and His chosen people in a similar sequence – first He cleansed them with water, and then He anointed them with oil (Ezekiel 16:9).

We see a moving example of cleansing and anointing in Luke 7 (38-48), in the sinful woman who wept at Jesus’s feet, washing them with her tears. No doubt her tears were shed in Godly sorrow, in repentance for her sins, as were the tears of David (Psalm 6:60;119:136) and Jeremiah (9:1,18; Lamentations 3:48). First her tears cleansed His feet from the dust and grime of the dirty roads, symbolizing the sins of the world, for Jesus Himself had no sin (Hebrews 4:15).

Then she wiped His feet with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with precious ointment. The oil in ointment allows it to preserve and convey perfume, spices and other costly substances. This woman stored her ointment in a precious alabaster box, which may have represented her dowry or all her worldly treasure. Yet she broke open the box and bestowed all the ointment lavishly on Jesus without considering the cost, because her heart was ignited by the Holy Spirit with passion to serve Him.

In a rainy parking lot, we may see oil drops floating on the wet pavement, causing a striking, rainbow-hued, swirling pattern known as a fractal. The light would not reflect in this jewel-toned design were the oil not aligned in a thin film, buoyed up by the water beneath. Similarly, the light and beauty of the Holy Spirit are not visible unless carried afloat by the Living Water indwelling each believer.

Cleansing, purification and anointing, as symbolized by water and oil, are essential to true worship. Oil and water in Scripture also reflect God’s provision, blessing, power, and judgment. May currents of living water flow forth from each of us, supporting the oil of the Spirit to reflect His brilliant light!

© 2013 Laurie Collett
Edited and reposted from the archives

Mourning Doves, or Morning Doves?

As I swam at dusk in the secluded pool at our island getaway, a flock of mourning doves sprang up from secret hiding places – the hibiscus bushes along the fence, the pool’s edge just beyond my line of sight, from within the tall pines. They fluttered around the pool in an excited whirl, congregated near the deep end as if to cheer on my laps, then settled on a nearby rooftop. 

Mourning doves are so named because of their sorrowful, lamenting song. Some males may have a pink or rust-colored stain on their chest, reminiscent of a bleeding heart. Their sudden appearance saddened me at first, bringing to mind the unexpected deaths of so many friends, church members, public figures, and acquaintances in recent times. 

Some of these deaths were expected and even a blessing, like that of the elderly woman with Alzheimer’s who could no longer recognize her own family. Others were shocking tragedies, like the young, active dance professional who was struck by a car while he was standing in the street in front of his house. 

It reminded me that our earthly life can vanish before our eyes like a puff of smoke, for we are not promised tomorrow (James 4:14). Those who procrastinated with their salvation, assuming they would have plenty of time to have their intellectual questions answered, or to “clean up their act” before coming to Christ, will spend eternity in hell if death caught them unawares. 

Now is the accepted time of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2), and those who put it off risk quenching the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19) and having their conscience seared, to the point that they can no longer recognize that they are sinners in need of a Savior (1 Timothy 4:2; Psalm 95:8; John 12:40; Hebrews 3:8,14). 

Even for those of us who are saved by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), we may find ourselves on death’s doorstep regretting what we have left undone, particularly missing service or witnessing opportunities God offered to us, or allowing fear or distractions to keep us from walking through doors He has opened (Hebrews 12:1). 

And yet, the appearance of the doves, their lively cooing, and the musical whistling of their wings in flight, was more of a blessing to me than a harbinger of gloom. It reminded me that God can turn our mourning into singing and dancing (Isaiah 51:11; Psalm 30:11). Weeping may persist through the night, but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5). 

The prophet Isaiah described his sorrow as the mourning of a dove (Isaiah 38:14; 59:11; Ezekiel 7:16), yet the upward flight of a dove symbolizes salvation and transformation from earthly sadness to Heaven’s joy-filled glory (Psalm 55:6; 68:13; Isaiah 60:8). 

Doves call to mind the Holy Spirit, descending on Jesus Christ in that form the moment He arose from the baptismal waters (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32); the deliverance of Noah from the global destruction of the flood (Genesis 8:8-12); and the sacrifice Mary and Joseph brought to obey God as they presented their Child at the temple (Luke 2:24). 

Scripture often uses animals to teach us lessons about our desired character and behavior, such as the industriousness of the ant (Proverbs 6:6; 30:25), or the wisdom of the conies who recognize their own weakness and seek shelter in the rock (Proverbs 30:26). Jesus told His disciples to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16). Dove is used as a romantic term of endearment in Song of Solomon (1:15; 2:14; 4:1; 5:2,12; 6:9), so I began to interpret the flight of doves all around me as an encouraging message. 

Even the “bleeding heart” of the mourning dove can be viewed as God telling His story through His creation, for without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins (Hebrews 9:22). Praise God that only the shed blood of Jesus Christ can wash away all our sins (Revelation 1:5), so that God the Father views His children as holy and sanctified, meriting an eternal home in Heaven not by our own works or righteousness (Ephesians 2:8-9), but by the imputed righteousness of His Son! (Romans 3:22; 4:5,22; 5:17-21). 

There need be no mourning for those who are born again (John 3:3-8) into the glorious morning of eternal life!

© 2020 Laurie Collett