God Speaking

“But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness”

(Psalm 86: 15)

When one  of my daughters was a little girl, she was fascinated with water and I remember one incident when all my three daughters were playing in our garden, my eldest daughter ran inside to tell me that the youngest had managed to turn on the hose and was busy hosing herself with the water. When I came outside, she was laughing with delight as the water soaked her hair and of course all her clothes. She was drenched from head to foot! 

God tells his people repeatedly of how much he loves them, a love so amazing it surpasses any human understanding and covers us completely. 

David saw the Lord’s love as abounding. When I looked up the meaning of this word, I read 

Abounding: Overflowing and plentiful  

I thought immediately of my little girl as she laughed with delight as the water flowed all over her and thought that is how God would have us enjoy being drenched with his love. 

Jesus talks about this amazing love in terms of water when he is talking to the Samaritan woman at the well when he asks her for a drink of water. She is surprised by this request, as he is a Jew and Jews did not associate with Samaritans. She is more surprised when he talks about living water and asks him to explain; 

“Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4: 13 – 14)

Water is essential to sustain life, and God’s promises often mention water. He promises to send water even into the driest desert. A beautiful thought for us who sometimes think of ourselves trapped in the desert by the problems of life.  

“Each man will be like a shelter in the wind and a refuge from the storm, and streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.” (Isaiah 32: 2)

Jesus himself chooses to be baptized in a river and when he emerged, he would have been drenched from head to foot and a mighty voice came from heaven declaring that this was God’s son.

“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son who I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3: 16 – 17)

God was sending a message that his Son would allow the Father’s love to surround us and we could take delight in that incredible knowledge.