Let’s Hear That Again!
4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. 5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, 6 but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
(Genesis 2:4-7)
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
(John 4:13-14)
Some stories are so important that the Bible tells them to us twice. After giving us a detailed account of what happened on the seven days of creation week, the writer repeats what happened in an executive summary, in Genesis 2:4-25. This time he focuses on just three essential items. He talks about plants, water and people.
Plants speak of Paradise. They were what made the Garden of Eden a garden, as opposed to the wilderness that lay outside. Scripture often uses plants and flowers as a vivid picture of heaven’s beauty breaking out on the earth, so the writer of Genesis reminds us that there could be no plants until the Lord caused rain to fall from heaven.
Water is used throughout the Bible as a picture of the Holy Spirit. Whenever we read about rain and rivers, we are meant to be reminded of the words of Jesus in John 4. The Holy Spirit is the Giver of Life, who turns our deserts into paradises, filled with heaven’s power. We are told that God created Adam from the lifeless earth, but that the breath of God quickly transformed his dry and dusty body into a living being. As we look to the Lord to teach us how to start our lives afresh with him, we ought to pause here. There are dry and dusty areas in all our lives, and the Lord invites us to bring them to him now so that they can all be filled and transformed by his life-giving Spirit.
Plants speak of Paradise. They were what made the Garden of Eden a garden, as opposed to the wilderness that lay outside. Scripture often uses plants and flowers as a vivid picture of heaven’s beauty breaking out on the earth, so the writer of Genesis reminds us that there could be no plants until the Lord caused rain to fall from heaven.
Water is used throughout the Bible as a picture of the Holy Spirit. Whenever we read about rain and rivers, we are meant to be reminded of the words of Jesus in John 4. The Holy Spirit is the Giver of Life, who turns our deserts into paradises, filled with heaven’s power. We are told that God created Adam from the lifeless earth, but that the breath of God quickly transformed his dry and dusty body into a living being. As we look to the Lord to teach us how to start our lives afresh with him, we ought to pause here. There are dry and dusty areas in all our lives, and the Lord invites us to bring them to him now so that they can all be filled and transformed by his life-giving Spirit.
1) When have you seen the miraculous effect of water on a garden? Have you ever seen dry weather kill a plant? Have you ever seen rainfall powerfully revive an unwatered park or garden?
2) Which areas of your life feel ‘dry and dusty’ to you right now? How much would you like the rainfall of the Holy Spirit to transform those areas of your life, turning your dry and dusty wasteland into the Garden of God?
3) What do think Jesus means when he promises to make the Holy Spirit ‘a spring of water welling up to eternal life’ within you? Tell him how thirsty you are to experience the Holy Spirit as the Giver of Life today.
2) Which areas of your life feel ‘dry and dusty’ to you right now? How much would you like the rainfall of the Holy Spirit to transform those areas of your life, turning your dry and dusty wasteland into the Garden of God?
3) What do think Jesus means when he promises to make the Holy Spirit ‘a spring of water welling up to eternal life’ within you? Tell him how thirsty you are to experience the Holy Spirit as the Giver of Life today.
Father God, I thank you that you have promised to fill me with your Holy Spirit. I thank you that these verses, right at the start of the Bible, tell me that this is part of your great plan for humankind. Please fill me today. Amen.
If you have time, consider carrying on your conversation with God using one of our helpful Prayer Pathways.
Today’s Everyday Devotions have also inspired a devotional video that you can watch on our YouTube channel.
Today’s Everyday Devotions have also inspired a devotional video that you can watch on our YouTube channel.