"Mayim Chaim" - The call to be conduits and not containers of Living Water
Tell me which water source you would rather drink from: a clean, flowing stream constantly replenished, or a stagnant pool of collected water. The answer is obvious: the fresh and vibrant stream is infinitely more appealing than the settled pond.
One of my favorite places to be on earth is in a kayak on the Elkhorn River here in Kentucky. Crystal clear water gently flowing downstream, as the sun glistens off the surface and casts a beautiful reflection of the surrounding trees. The water is refreshing and invites us to come and make ourselves at home.
Conversely, on the way to the boat launch of the Elkhorn, there are some farms with standing ponds. You will oftentimes see cows trying to cool off in the murky and still water. Despite the fact that the cows are dirtying up the water, there's usually a film of pond scum floating along the surface.
When you think about it, there is an element that keeps the water refreshing and clean. It's movement. There is water going in, and there is water going out. Water that simply enters and stagnates creates an ecosystem where bacteria, algae, and other microorganisms can thrive.
What if I told you that this same metaphor can be applied to our spiritual lives? In the Bible, God calls us to live waters in His service. This means that instead of striving to become “filled up” with knowledge, we should strive to stay in a perpetual state of “flow.” We must constantly pour out what God has poured into us.
Jesus tells us that we must be a living stream of water for him and his teachings. In John 7:38, he says, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” This beautifully illustrates Jesus’ call for us to be conduits and not containers of the Good News.
This concept is expressed beautifully in Hebrew: "mayim chaim" —living water. To be a living water means constantly being in a state of refreshing, replenishing, and refilling. We must strive to stay connected to God's water source, so that we can be His living waters on the earth. As such, our lives should always reflect the glory of God's Word flowing out from us into the world.
There are two problems we face as believers, and if you aren't paying attention, they are almost imperceptible. One, we can become believers who go to church every week, take in all kinds of Scriptural wisdom, but never actually put it into practice. We become containers of knowledge, rather than conduits of living water. And two, we can simply withdraw from receiving any input whatsoever and become completely dry. Coming from the desert of California, I've seen more than once dry lake beds that used to be a source of fresh water.
However, if we strive to remain the conduit of living water and continue in our pursuit of spiritual growth — always refilling, renewing, and widening our stream of knowledge — we will never run dry. Instead, God’s Word will flow freely from us as His Living Water on the earth.
Right in the middle of the land of Israel are two bodies of water, and the only two bodies of water that exist in Israel. These two bodies perfectly illustrate what it means to have inlets and outlets, conduits and containers, life and death.
The life of the Sea of Galilee.
The Sea of Galilee is the second-lowest freshwater lake on Earth, and its unique location along the Jordan River basin makes it an incredibly valuable natural asset. With an inlet to the north and an outlet flowing out to the south, it functions like a reservoir and connects several important regions.
But more than a connector, the Sea of Galilee is a source of life. Its waters are incredibly clean and clear, and the beauty it creates can be seen from miles away. It’s no surprise why Jesus chose this place to perform many of his miracles. Essentially, this body of water represents the survival of the people of Israel. The water that enters in is replenished, and the water that exits out is clean and refreshing.
This system of natural waterways has provided sustained life for countless species, as well as humans, who have benefited from healthy fisheries for thousands of years. In this way, the Sea of Galilee continues to preserve and transmit life throughout the region — an incredible legacy in service to the community.
The death of the Dead Sea.
The Dead Sea, on the other hand, has no outlet. It’s a massive salt lake residing at the lowest elevation of any body of water on Earth. Its waters are stagnant and full of salt, making it impossible for life to exist within them.
The Dead Sea is a stark reminder of the consequences of sin and disobedience — when we stop believers from being living waters, we become stagnant and lifeless. Our relationships with God and with each other will become shallow, unfulfilled, and eventually completely dry up.
In fact, without consistent rain in the land of Israel, the Dead Sea continues to lose water each year at an alarming rate. If you come with us on a trip to Israel, we will stay in hotels that were right on the water even ten years ago. Today, the hotels have employed golf carts to take guests down the beach, because the waters have receded so much.
This is a powerful metaphor for our lives as believers — we must never forget that we can easily become like the Dead Sea if we are not careful to remain connected to God's living water source. We need consistent refilling and renewal to keep the flow of life going. But not just intake and refilling, but what gets put in must also have an outlet. We must have ways to live out the knowledge we’ve taken in, and be conduits of blessing to others.
By renewing our relationship with God through His Word, we can stay connected to His Living Water and remain vessels of life on earth!
The story of God is all about dead things coming to life.
Throughout the Biblical narrative, God consistently redeems death and destruction, turning them into life-giving sources of blessing for His people. This is ultimately what it means to be in relationship with Jesus: death giving way to new life.
But the same is true for the Dead Sea. In the book of Ezekiel, chapter 47, God gives a vision of the waters of the Dead Sea being transformed into living, life-giving waters — a reminder that He is capable and willing to take the worst parts of our lives and bring them back to life. The water begins to flow from Jersualem, initiating a process of redemption and revival that will restore life to the land. It says:
He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?” "Then he led me back to the bank of the river. When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”
Can you imagine this vast sea where nothing lives will one day be full of life and joy? You will see fisherman standing along the seashore, netting out large amounts of fish. Fruit trees will grow along the sides of the river, giving people sustenance and healing.
This is a powerful symbol for us — God can do the same things in our lives! He can transform even the most barren places into something beautiful and full of life, if we let Him.
Will you be a conduit or container?
So, if you feel like you’re in a spiritual desert or your life resembles the Dead Sea at times, remember that God is capable of bringing new life from death and transformation from sorrow! All we have to do is open our hearts and let Him work.
The Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea both have stories to tell. They remind us that God is capable of restoring life to even the most desolate places. Even when we seem surrounded by death, He can bring us back to life and make our lives a source of blessing for others. Are you a conduit or a container for life? Which will you choose?
But beyond that, it’s not enough to simply bring new life into our lives. We have to be channels of this Living Water, bringing healing and hope to those around us. It’s about being like the Sea of Galilee, a living example of the power of God to bring life and joy out of death and sorrow. We can stay connected to His Living Water and remain vessels of life on earth!
