The Power of Water

In the States, they say the only sure things are death and taxes. Here in Tanzania, the only sure things are death and the electricity going out.

For the past few weeks, the electricity has been turning off anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours every evening. They call it a ‘rolling blackout’ (I’ve heard California has been having some recently as well). But for the past three days, the electricity has been going off anywhere from 30 minutes to seven hours. This morning when I woke up, the electricity was off so I took a cold shower. (Believe or not, this cold shower was not refreshing because the mornings are very cool). I opened all the curtains to let in the early morning light so I could see what I was doing.

Today we discovered the reason for the frequent shortage in electricity: there is not enough water to power the generators that produce electricity across the country. I have never been so affected by a shortage of water. In Colorado, we usually had restrictions on water usage in the summer, especially when it came to watering the lawns. But ‘water shortages’ in Colorado never prevented me from taking a hot shower, or reading a book, or working on my computer, or doing any other activity at night.

I consider myself a night owl. I will stay up half the night working on whatever project I want to finish. I took it for granted that I could do any activity I wanted because of electricity. The past three nights I have gone to bed early with a flashlight because the only activity I could really do was read a book. It’s not fun working on a puzzle with a flashlight. I can’t crochet holding a flashlight. And my laptop’s battery only lasts four hours so I can’t complete all my little projects. Last night, I couldn’t even read in my living room because all the bugs came flying at the only light around for miles. I have never so appreciated the preciousness of water.

In John chapter four, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman about the gift of God: living water. This water never runs out or dries up. It lasts forever. To the Samaritan woman, such a thing was desirable because she wouldn’t have to trek back and forth to the well everyday, hauling gallons of water. In fact, she would never thirst again! To me, living water is desirable because it can produce as much electricity as I need. I could have as many hot showers as I want, work on my puzzle as late into the night as I desire, crochet until my fingers fall off, and work on my laptop until my eyes burn out. Jesus’ living water is so powerful I wouldn’t even need to flip a switch or plug in my computer.

But Jesus’ living water is much better than anything electricity can do for me. Jesus’ living water provides everlasting life. In John 4:14, Jesus says, “but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” Jesus’ water is truly the fountain of youth! If one partakes of it, one will live forever, never growing old, and never witnessing the curse of spiritual death.

Eventually my laptop will die forever. My puzzle will crumble into oblivion. The pages in my books will fall out. My body will become so old and decrepit that no amount of showering, hot or cold, could revive it. But the living water I receive through Jesus Christ will allow my soul to live with Him in eternity. Nothing else above the earth, on it, or under it is that powerful.

Have you got the power today?