Anglican Devotional 12 August 2022 – The Living Water

The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 12 August 2022 – The Living Water

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TOPIC: The Living Water

TEXT: Ezekiel 47:1-12 (NKJV)

1. Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar.
2. He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side.
3. And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water [came up to my] ankles.
4. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water [came up to my] knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water [came up to my] waist.
5. Again he measured one thousand, [and it was] a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.
6. He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen [this?”] Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river.
7. When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, [were] very many trees on one side and the other.
8. Then he said to me: “This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. [When it] reaches the sea, [its] waters are healed.
9. “And it shall be [that] every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes.
10. “It shall be [that] fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim; they will be [places] for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many.
11. “But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt.
12. “Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all [kinds of] trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”

THE MESSAGE:

In his vision, Ezekiel saw a stream of water which flowed from beneath the southern side of the platform on which the temple was built. As it flowed, it grew in depth and width, giving life and fruitfulness to everything it touched. As the water flowed from the temple spring, it got deeper, but without other rivers flowing into it. This was amazing in that a stream does not increase as it flows, if it is not fed by other rivers. The river flowed into the Dead Sea which has much concentration of salt which cannot support life. This was a miraculous stream of water. As the river flowed into the Dead Sea, it rid it of death.

This river is similar to the one mentioned in Revelation 22:1,2. It symbolises life from God and the blessings that flow from His throne. As the fresh water of the river flowed into the Dead Sea, the Dead Sea became a sea of life (verses 8-10). Fish began to flourish and fishermen moved there for their fishing business. The trees beside the river began to bear fruit for food as well as produce leaves that have medicinal values. The purpose of the river is to bring abundant life and healing from God to the land and the people. It is only when God’s presence is firmly established in the centre of a person’s heart that there will be new life and restoration. Your body is that temple of God (I Corinthians 6:19). As God’s presence is evident in one’s life, His blessings should produce fruit (living water, John 7:38) along the way.

PRAYER: As a Christian, are you living a new life in Christ?