"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters."

That's the first mention of water in the Bible, Genesis 1:2.

Water is used in the Bible in at least three ways:

1. As the actual drinking water, like Genesis 1:2 and Psalms 23: "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul."
2. The lack of water is used as an analogy for how we should seek what is good.
   • Psalms 42: As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
   • Matthew 5:6, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
3. Water is used spiritually--as the water of life.
   • John 4: "Everyone who drinks this water will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
   • John 7:37: "On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, 'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

Water is a very apt illustration for our spiritual needs because water is so important to our physical bodies. Our bodies are about 60% water (by weight). For many years, water in the body was considered an inert substance. However, research has shown that is not the case. Water intake is essential to the body. Every system in the body requires water to function adequately. The recommended amount of water intake a day is 8 oz for every 20 lbs of body weight.

The majority of Americans are suffering from symptoms of dehydration. Early signs of dehydration include: high blood pressure--because blood vessels constrict when water intake is low so the heart has to pump harder; high cholesteral; constipation; stomach pain caused by muscle spasms which eventually lead to ulcers; allergies and other respiratory problems.

In the same way that your physical body functions better with adequate water, so your spiritual body functions better when you're filled with the water of life. We make things too complicated sometimes. If we focus on the basics: the bread of life and the water of life, we can more fully grasp what God wants for us.

Now the last mention of water in the Bible--Rev 22:17, "The Spirit and the Bride say, come, and let him who hears say, come. Whoever is thirsty, let him take the free gift of the water of life."