Open The Wells

Wells

We don’t tend to think much of wells these days do we

We just turn a tap and there’s the water, who needs a well? Holes in the ground with a puddle of muddy water at the bottom, taking effort to draw the water up and potentially having a serious health risk if not looked after properly. But this is not the case in the third world or our country not that long ago, wells were and are the source of life, greatly valued centre pieces of a community. In fact communities normally “spring” up around wells or springs sources of water for were there is water there is life. It’s the same principle spiritually water is a symbol of life, a indication of creation and promise of hope, substance, growth and sustained life. As a scientist the spiritual side gets more interesting when you consider the molecular structure of water, it’s a trinity of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, each necessary for water to be water and water can exist in three physical forms

I like to think of this as a sort of calling card from God, saying trinity is important, it brings life, sustains life and binds life together in the sense that water if you think about it binds all life on this planet together is the link the common denominator to existence. As is God the Father, God the Sprit and God the Son. The source of living water, the source of the waters of salvation and the source of all life. I’ll like to focus on the term used in Isaiah 12 “Wells of Salvation” what are these and how do we find them and open them?

Digging a well

How do you dig a well? Its not as simple as making a hole and waiting for the water to gush out. The biggest hand dug well can be found in Greensburg Kansas, dug in 1880’s it took a massive effort and was over 109 feet deep and 32 feet in diameter, all of the walls were covered in stone paving and to prevent cave ins every 8 feet a brace was constructed out of 2 foot by 12 foot planks mortised and dovetailed together so than no nails were used in the construction which might then rust and pollute the well water. This well served the whole cities needs until 1939 and is a big tourist attraction with over 3 million people having visited it to date, not bad for a hole in the ground!!

You need an understanding of the geology of the rock formations, know how the water might be moving to or were underground reservoirs were building up to tap into them. You then need to dig the hole in the ground and make sure it is has a solid wall of brick, stone or wood so that the well does not collapse in on its self. You need to dig it deep enough to reach the water

You need then a way of getting the water up to the surface. You then need to maintain the well to make sure that the water is not polluted, does not stagnate and stays fresh. If you do this really well you might have an Artesian well were the water flowing up from the rock is under such pressure it overflows by its self and does not need pumps or buckets to bring it up

Wells take hard work to locate, establish and maintain but they bring life, they transform communities and are vital sources of clean water. I like to think of a church like a well, it can be a source of living water, or Jesus that can transform and bring life to communities or it could fall into disrepair and dry up or get polluted or the like, it’s a precious resource that needs love and care to bring forth more love and life.

Wells of Salvation

I find this phrase well of salvation a deeply moving one, to me it speaks of something never ending, stretching beyond us and our resources something of the eternal. The reality is salvation comes from only one source, there is only one rock from which these waters flow. That’s Jesus the way, the truth and the life. Jesus is the very well spring of salvation, the very source of the redemption we speak of Jesus is the source of the living water, water which is not water in the sense of the physical but in actuality the spirit of God. The touch of Jesus, his spirit that brings those in darkness light, those without hope, hope that ignites the spark of faith into a mighty eternal flame. The well of salvation is the good news that Jesus came from Heaven, God as a man, fully in human form, remained pure and un polluted and then took the punishment we deserve to bring those who love him and accept him into salvation or rightness with God. This resonates through out the Bible in both the old and the new testaments, its central to the whole story, to the whole purpose the very meaning of the Bible is captured in understanding it all points to Jesus, especially stories of water and rocks such as Moses striking the rock to bring forth enough water for the millions of Israelites and their livestock in exile. Exodus 17 :5 - 7 The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the place Massah [testing ] and Meribah [quarreling] because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"