W A T E R S T H A T F A IL N O T By Lloyd Hamill
F ARMERS like to see things grow. I have a friend who is a farmer in California’s sprawling Central Valley. Next to singing a hymn in church on a Sunday evening there’s nothing he likes better than to stand with the hot sun beating down on his back while he looks out over his farm. “ There’s something about clean dirt and hot sun and streams of water trick ling between the rows of growing things that gets into a farmer’s blood. I like to watch the steamy heat waves rise among grapevines and the fig trees and the silver-leafed olives. When that water starts running over the hot dirt, there’s a smell of life in it. And it’s a good smell.” That’s the way he talks about water. I think our Lord felt the same way about it. The land of Israel is a lot like much of California. In the summer the days are scorching and the nights cool. And there’s no rain. Without water even rich soil is worth less. Crops wither under the hot sun and the parched earth lies barren and unfruitful. The secret is for the farmer not to rely on the uncertain rain but rather to rely on wells and springs that never run dry. And from these supplies, water is drawn to irrigate the thirsty ground. Did you ever notice the prominent place wells and springs play in the Bible? Lot chose the plains of Jordan because “ it was well watered every where.” And when Caleb’s daughter was married to Othniel, the young swain wangled a field from his father- in-law as dowry. But the field lacked water so the young bride went to her father and said: “ Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs o f water.” And good father that he was, Caleb gave her two springs of water. Here in the west we have the same problem. Death Valley—to name just one spot—is desolate because of the lack of water. Yet if a freak rain falls, the barren desert bursts into bloom. Without irrigation it would be
the same in the great Central Valley. From June to September it doesn’t rain and without the life-giving irrigation systems this fruitful valley would re vert to semi-desert. Our Lord knew how the children of Israel depended on wells and springs for life. It is no accident that the Bible constantly refers to the Holy Spirit as water. And when we meditate on this phase of Biblical teaching we are cap tured with the wonderment of His grow ing fields. We recall when our Lord was at the feast of tabernacles that on the last day of the feast He told those gathered: “Whoever is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in ' Me, just as the Scripture says, streams of water shall flow from his innermost being.” Then we are told, “He said this concerning the Spirit which believers in Him were about to receive. For as yet the (Holy) Spirit was not given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:37-39, Berkeley version).
wholly occupy every phase of his life. The hard-packed, sun-parched ground that has lain fallow and unproductive because the Holy Spirit has been de nied full possession now becomes fruit ful—like a watered garden fed by springs that never fail. This is good. It’s the answer to the longing of the Christian’s heart. It is nothing we can work up ourselves. We are the ground. We have been bought by Him. And the Holy Spirit is the water. If we believe, we automatically have the Spirit. Now if we but yield— if this life-giving water is allowed to t a k e possession — irrigating the dry ground—the result can only be a fruit ful garden. There can be no other re sult. It is sure. And the fruit of this garden—fruit wrought by the Holy Spirit—is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (Gal. 5:22, 23).. There it is. Dry ground made alive and fruitful by waters that fail not. And the fruit is good. the Word of God—beliefs such as the sanctity of the seventh-day sabbath (Ex. 20:8-11; Matt. 24:14), the second com ing of Jesus (John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11), the new birth of the Holy Spirit as the only method of salvation (John 3:3,5), and the personal responsibility of each Christian to tell the gospel (good news of salvation) to the whole world (Matt. 28:18-20). If anyone feels they can help me, or I can help them, I should be glad to communicate with them, for that is the Christian way to iron out differ ences. Your fairness in printing both sides of the question will greatly help me to restore my faith in the integrity of your organization. E ugene P rout Glendale, California We receive edification from exper iences and articles in the King’s Busi ness. Being a faithful reader, I felt impelled to write you as to my reaction from the articles written on Adventism by E. B. Jones. He is true in stating the misleading nature of Adventism, but it seems he has become bitter. God states in His Word that He gave my Saviour Jesus for whosoever — that meant Adventist, Communist, Catholic, Mormon, etc. They all need to have a personal experience with our Lord. If (Continued on Page 32) READER REACTION (Continued from Page 8)
Water alone can make the desert bloom Christ is teaching in language that is full of meaning for His listeners. The Holy Spirit—the Comforter, the Advo cate, the One^palled alongside to help— yet, this Holy Spirit, Christ says, will be in the believer’s life like a stream of water. Those people gathered there that day knew that water was the most valuable asset in their economy. They knew that water alone could make the desert burst into life. And note Christ said “just as the Scripture says.” It is beautiful to see how the Old Testament writers employ the same symbol for the Holy Spirit as Christ used. Let us look at just one example. In Isaiah 58:11 the prophet wrote: “ And the Lord shall guide thee con tinually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” Now we can begin to see the picture. The Christian whose life is fruitful is one who has allowed the Holy Spirit to
The'se fields would be barren without irrigation
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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
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