Living in a hot country like Cyprus reminds us of the importance of water and the need to hydrate. The recommended daily amount of water intake for an adult is between 2 and 2.5 litres. Without the irrigation systems, the palm trees in the pictures would not survive.
St Raphael, Limassol
In a spiritual sense, the Bible refers to water offered by the Lord to quench our thirst and provide eternal life.
Isaiah gives the invitation to come to the living God:
"Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters..." Isaiah 55:1
The Lord Jesus offered the Samaritan woman water which would result in eternal life:
'Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”' John 4:13-14
Again in John's Gospel the Lord offered life-giving water:
'On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.' John 7: 37-39
An invitation is extended in Revelation, in the last chapter of our Bibles:
'And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.' Revelation 22:17
In each of these verses the water is offered and the only way to receive it is to accept the invitation. Nothing else can satisfy and nothing else can give eternal life. When we come to the Lord through faith and repentance asking Him for this life-changing 'water', He freely gives. His Spirit will live in us and guarantees eternity with the Lord, as Paul wrote in Ephesians:
'In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.' Ephesians 1:13
