He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it ran in the dry places like a river. Psalm 105:41
The Word of God is the water of life. In Psalm 105:40, we read that God provided the children of Israel with literal bread from heaven when they were wandering in the wilderness in search of the Promised Land, yet the bread also had spiritual significance. One verse later, we learn that God also provided them with water from a rock. Do you think it’s possible the water and rock have spiritual significance that applies to us? I do.
In fact, 1 Corinthians 10:4 sheds light on the spiritual meaning of the rock and the water. It says, “And all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.” The water is His Word, and He is the rock. See, the Bible is full of symbols. It’s a spiritual book written by a spiritual Being to spiritual beings. There’s something about reading it that actually hydrates your spirit. Psalm 1:2 talks about the man who delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on it constantly. Verse 3 says, “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.”
Here, the tree represents us and the rivers of water represent the Word of God, so that means drinking in the Word brings forth fruit. Think about the fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, self-control, meekness and temperance—meditating on the Word of God will bring forth these spiritual fruits in your life and cause you to prosper.
Joshua 1:8 says the Word will cause you to prosper “in whatever you do,” whether it be your marriage, health, finances, career or raising your children. Believing what Psalm 1:1–3 says will change our lives and our habits. But, conversely, if we don’t meditate on the Word day and night, what does that make us? We’ll be like trees not planted by water. We’ll dry up and wither, and we won’t bear fruit.
What are some habits you can change in order to make reading God’s Word a part of your daily life? Maybe you need to wake up a half an hour early, or maybe limit time in front of the television. No matter the sacrifice you make to take in the water of life, the prosperity and the fruit you will bear will make a difference in your life.
PRAYER
God, thank You that Your Word hydrates my spirit. I’m thirsty for more of You and I need You to bear fruit in my life. Show me ways that I can make reading Your Word part of my daily life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
FOR FURTHER STUDY
Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1–3; Isaiah 49:9–10; Isaiah 12:3; Jeremiah 17:7–8
Taken from It Is Written, a Gateway devotion.
