Throughout history, mankind has tried to explain and describe God. Drawing on the best of our philosophies, ideas, and concepts, we have attempted to apprehend one of the greatest mysteries in the universe. What we often do not realize is that, in trying to fit God into the limited scope of our mentality, we are actually hindering ourselves from knowing God in reality. In order to know God, we must be willing to consider His own revelation of Himself as presented in the Bible. There, one of the ways God reveals Himself is through the use of symbols. In the Gospel of John, in an apparently simple account of an encounter between the Lord Jesus and a thirsty woman, God unveils Himself as the fountain of life flowing out to reach thirsty mankind.

Living Water
While journeying toward Galilee, Jesus passed through a region called Samaria and sat by a well to rest in the late afternoon. Being God, He knew that a thirsty woman would approach to draw water from the well. In fact, He knew everything about her. He knew of her five former husbands and of the man with whom she was now living. Most importantly, He knew that her living was a result of an inner longing for satisfaction that could be quenched only by Himself as the living water.

When she arrived at the well, He initiated a conversation saying, "Give me something to drink." Surprised by His request, because the Jews had no dealings with Samaritans, the woman said, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask for a drink from me, who am a Samaritan woman?" The Lord responded, saying, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is who says to you, Give Me a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." She thought that Jesus was referring to physical water and responded, "Sir, You have no bucket, and the well is deep; where then do You get this living water?" At this point, Jesus quickly indicated to her that He was not speaking of physical water, saying, "Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall by no means thirst forever."¹

Here the Lord Jesus spoke of two kinds of water: water that fails to give lasting satisfaction and water that eternally quenches our thirst. Physical things always leave us dissatisfied and thirsty. In the case of the Samaritan woman, she had been married five times and was presently living with a man who was not her husband. As each husband failed to satisfy, she married again and again. In her life, we see a picture of our own quest for satisfaction. Although material wealth, pleasures of the world, and human attainments may grant some immediate gratification, the satisfaction is temporary at best. This earthly water always leaves us thirsty. The Lord Jesus, however, unveiled the existence of a second kind of water—living water—saying, "But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall no means thirst forever; but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life."² In this one statement, the Lord revealed that the water that truly satisfies our thirst is nothing less than the Triune God.

God is triune: He is three-one. God, who in essence is one, is also mysteriously revealed as the Father, Son, and Spirit. In order to flow into man as living water, God is three. As the Triune God, He can flow out and reach us with Himself as the living water that can satisfy our thirst. Therefore, Jesus spoke of God the Father as a fountain, God the Son as a spring, and God the Spirit as a river to flow living water into us.

The Fountain
God the Father is a fountain. Just as a fountain is the source of a river, God the Father is the source and origin of the eternal life. This fountain is a fountain of life, and it is God's desire that this life, which is Himself, would flow out to us in order that we may enjoy Him as our satisfaction. God the Father is a rich source for our enjoyment and pleasure. As David wrote, addressing God, in the Psalms, "They are saturated with the fatness of Your house, and You cause them to drink of the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life."³

The Spring
God the Son is a spring. While a fountain may be hidden from sight, a spring is the emergence and expression of that fountain. A spring emanates from the ground, testifying to a deeper source and bringing the water from this source to the surface, a place where it can be both seen and enjoyed. In the same way, in God the Son the eternal life springs up and becomes expressed. The Bible tells us that "in Him was life"⁴ and that He came that man "may have life and may have it abundantly."⁵ Previously, the Father was mysterious and concealed from us; now, in the Son we can know the fountain of life. The Son as the spring expresses the Father, the source, for us to see, know, and obtain life. He is a spring of eternal life welling up within those who believe.

The River
God the Spirit is a river. In order to taste and enjoy the water springing up from the source, we need a way for the water to be transmitted to us. Without the river, the refreshing water of the fountain would not be able to reach us. This "river" is God the Spirit as the transmission of the eternal life of God; He is the reviving water that flows to thirsty humanity. God was embodied in Christ, and in His resurrection Christ became the life-giving Spirit to flow the eternal life into us.⁶ This is why the Lord Jesus could say, "He who believes into Me, as the Scripture said, out of his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water."⁷ Here He was referring to the Spirit who would come to us and make His life available to us. God the Spirit is a flowing river for us to drink of and enjoy. When this available One comes to us, we have access to the eternal life of God—the water that will quench all our thirst and dissatisfaction. This river flows God Himself into us for us to know and experience God. It is by receiving God and His life that we can truly know Him. Whoever receives this water will enjoy a fountain of living water springing up within as a river flowing into eternal life.

Flowing Out
The Triune God is a fountain flowing out to reach us. As the Father, Son, and Spirit, God has made Himself available to us so that we can know and enjoy Him. He is the deep fountain of life, the spring gushing up, and the flowing river so that He can flow Himself into us. As such a rich accessible river of life, God no longer has to be remote from us. He is ready for us to receive Him. All we need to do is open to Him as the Spirit. Then we can enjoy the Triune God Himself flowing within us, bringing God to us in a way that we might truly experience and know Him.

1 John 4:3-14 (back) 2 John 4:1 (back) 3 Psalm 36:8-9 (back) 4 John 1:4 (back) 5 John 10:10 (back) 6 First Corinthians 15:45 (back) 7 John 7:38 (back)

If you would like to know God in a real way, all you must do is believe into Him and pray the following with a sincere heart:

"Lord Jesus, I am a thirsty sinner who needs You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins and resurrecting as the Spirit so that You could come into me. Forgive me of all my sins and false ideas of who You are. I receive You right now and drink of You. Thank You for flowing into me to be my life."