The Holy Spirit Flows Like Living Water Within Me

7 June 2017 Year A

John 7:37-39

Blood flows through the physical body and gives it life. Leviticus 17:11 says that “life is in the blood.” It is an amazing ability that God has given my physical body. Blood pumps through my veins and it allows me to live.

Many things can be detected through the blood. One can detect physical characteristics, potential diseases, as well as current medical conditions all through analysis of the blood’s contents.

Just as liquid blood fills my body to let me live, Jesus said that “streams of living water” flow deep within a person (John 7:28). Then the writer clarifies that this “living water” is the Holy Spirit. So one can compare the Holy Spirit to “living water.” What does that mean?

Blood could be considered living water when you think about it. It flows within me and gives me physical life. When the blood stops flowing, then I stop living.

The Holy Spirit Is Spiritual Blood

The Holy Spirit is living water. It is “spiritual blood.” But I think that the Holy Spirit is compared to living water points to the resurrected body. The Holy Spirit could only be given after Jesus was glorified. The Holy Spirit could only start the process of my glorification once Jesus’ glorification was complete (John 7:39).

This text points to a need for the thirsty person to drink to replenish themselves, I believe this refers to the relationship one has with Jesus (John 7:37). For example, one drinks physical water to make the blood flow better and for the body to function better. Drinking physical water makes the physical body operate better. One drinks from a relationship with Jesus to allow the Spirit to flow better within. Receiving nourishment from Jesus makes the spiritual body operate better.

To use another analogy, a baby grows in the mother’s womb. The mother nourishes the baby until the baby leaves the mother at which time the baby’s physical body operates on its own. Sure, the baby needs nourishment from the parents, but the baby’s body operates independently of the mother.

My spirit is born at the time I come to Jesus Christ (John 7:37). The Holy Spirit (acting as my “mother”) takes my spirit and helps it grow (John 7:29). Both my spirit and the Holy Spirit resides within the Christian in a physical body. Our physical body will separate at our physical death from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit takes us out of the womb (this physical body) and keeps us in Heaven until we are ready for our glorified body.

Photo courtesy of Unsplash.