We all know the feeling of a dry mouth and a parched throat. But have you ever felt that same deep thirst in your soul? Water in the Bible is far more than just a biological necessity; it is God’s chosen symbol for life, grace, and the Holy Spirit.
Without water in life, we miss out on the many physical and spiritual benefits it offers. Not only that, but a human body literally can’t survive without water–it makes up most of our body! Yet, some of us may not crave it like our social media or daily coffee.
But those things we rely on are not life-giving like water is.
The benefits of water may cause you to forget the caffeine fix and grab the H2O!
These benefits are here to show you how even a cup of water can greatly enrich your life. The Bible offers us insight on the spiritual meaning of water, showing us how Jesus can refresh our thirsty souls.
So let’s quench our thirst – see what’s in store about this magnificent liquid God created and how to get the best drinking water in our home.
With this guiding us, we will not thirst anymore!
What Does Water Symbolize in Scripture?
Water in Scripture has many symbols and deep meaning. It offers us insight into our Lord, Jesus Christ, and how He fills us with His Holy Spirit.
A Spirit of Life
Perhaps some of the most famous Bible verses about water reference the Spirit of Life Jesus offers us.
In the New Testament, Jesus answered the woman, who came to draw water at the well in Samaria, that “He [God] would have given you living water.” This water Jesus mentions is the “water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:10, 13, NIV).
Jesus speaks of “rivers of living water” that people of Christian faith will have within them (John 7:38, NIV). This ever-flowing stream Jesus offers us is the Spirit of Life we get from Salvation in Him.
Our Lord Jesus Christ offers us a living water that no one else can!
Sin
Opposite of the living water we just read about, water also represents sin in some passages.
The Spirit of Life and the Spirit of Grace are both in opposition to sin. In God’s Word, water is compared to the thirst for sin in humans.
“How much less one who is detestable and corrupt, Man, who drinks iniquity like water!” (Job 15:16, NASB1995)
God’s Grace as Remedy for Sin
God also compares His life-giving Spirit of Grace to water, showing grace as the remedy against sin. Grace – seen as water in these instances – is the only avenue by which sin can be forgiven, vanquished, and overcome.
“…in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”
We see this symbolism today in the practice of Baptism, where we show our commitment to new life in Jesus through following this verse and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Spreading of Sin and Grace
While sin and grace are opposites of each other, they both have a spreading nature; sin infects every man and all of humanity, but grace offers an antithesis for this devastation.
Grace and righteousness are “like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5:24).
As God could cover the face of the whole earth with water, so too he’s capable of covering all of the body and soul with grace. In 2 Samuel 22:17, Scripture says “[God] drew me out of deep waters.”
He will do the same for us!
The Healing Nature of the Water of Life
Just as water flushes toxins physically, the Bible speaks of healing water that restores the soul.
Sin has a polluting, corrupting nature. The nature of grace, on the other hand, washes and cleanses. Therefore, comparing grace, and the Spirit of Grace, to water works well!
“Then I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you will be clean: from all your filthiness and from all your idols” (Ezekiel 36:25, NASB1995).
Water to the Humble
Water naturally descends to and abides in low places such as valleys, following the flow of gravity. The grace of God and the Spirit of Grace consists of that same nature.
The hills and lofty mountains don’t have rivers running over the tops of them, though they may run “among them.” But they run among the valleys.
Just as water is provided to the lower places in the world, “…God is opposed to the proud and gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5, NASB1995).
Our God is always looking out for and providing for us, especially if we are “the lowly” in the world.
7 Physical Benefits of Hydration (God’s Design)
With all of the meanings God gives us in these Bible verses, it is also important to understand how He designed water to benefit our bodies. While we ponder the living water Jesus offers us, we see how God has made water physically vital.
Jesus offers us living water for our spirit and eternal life, and God gives us fresh water in the world to nourish our physical bodies!
Did you know that our brain is 80% water, our muscles are 75%, our blood is 83%, our lungs are 90%, our skin is 64%, and even our bones are 30%?
When we aren’t well hydrated, our organs, and all these parts of our body that rely on water will be thirsty.
You can follow these 5 Recipes for Nutritious, Infused Water to get even more benefits when you draw water into your life.
Being stronger, faster, smarter, healthier, and more beautiful all come from being well-hydrated. So let’s rain some facts on why our organs need water to be happy and healthy!
1. Water Energizes the Muscles
Staying hydrated before, during, and after exercising is vital for the body to develop and maintain healthy muscles. This is because the water holds electrolytes, which help to energize the muscles. Without electrolytes, muscles grow weak and may not perform as well.
2. Water Lubricates the Joints
What good is it to work your muscles if your joints don’t want to hold up their end of the effort? Luckily, water also helps to lubricate the joints, making all movement easier. As we age, it is important to remember water, so we can stay mobile and increase our health!
3. Water Improves Mental Health
Having an overly anxious day? Having a hard time concentrating? Not getting enough water may be the underlying issue. Staying properly hydrated means that we lessen stress and anxiety, because we lessen the stress our body is taking on by not having water to draw on. This is especially true for children.
When our bodies aren’t functioning properly, it aggravates the minds and causes us to fall into a poor mood. Maintain a healthy mood by getting adequate water. Even a cup is enough of a mood boost sometimes!
4. Water Promotes Gut Health
I’m the queen of fiber—because fiber changes the landscape of your whole body! Check out this blog about Biblical Power Foods to learn more about the influence of fiber.
However, fiber can’t do its job properly if it isn’t paired with water. Water maintains regularity. If you’re having digestive issues, it may not be the food you’re eating.
Fiber and water can help with weight loss too!
For more on this, check out this video on Fiber and Gut Health!
5. Water Balances the Hormones
No one wants to be a hormonal hot mess. One way to make sure your hormones remain harmonious is by staying hydrated.
Hormones have a job, and, when finished, the body gets rid of them. When not removed by adequate fiber and water through the kidneys, liver, and stool, the body instead recycles them. Poor detoxification leads to hormonal imbalance. Symptoms of hormonal imbalance include weight gain, dry skin, fatigue, cancer, and even depression.
6. Water Keeps Skin Youthful
Skin wrinkles and shrivels when not fully hydrated. Ditch the Botox and opt for God’s natural filler–water. And don’t fear a good sweat-session when you work out or go to the sauna.
By sweating, the body removes toxins and quickens healing. Get a healthy sweat once a week and replenish the lost liquid with water before and after. Your skin will look amazing with this one addition to a weekly regimen.
7. Water Provides Support to Kidneys and Liver
The best medical advice I can give is: make sure your kidneys and liver have enough water to do their jobs properly. They do the dirtiest work. They clean out and remove toxins to prevent buildup and recycling. Yet without adequate water, these two key organs lack the ability to perform!
Like maids that clean while you’re away, leave a generous tip for your kidneys and liver by keeping them hydrated.
6 Spiritual Benefits of “Living Water”
Now, while you pour water into a nice glass for yourself (with some infused fruits and herbs, of course!), is the perfect time to reflect on how God offers us living water and what exactly this gives us.
1. Eternal Life
The meaning of living water as Jesus answered the Samaritan woman is the eternal life He offers us.
This is the ultimate gift we can receive! As Jesus says in John 4, by partaking in the living water He gives us we will have a “spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
2. The Holy Spirit
When we receive the living water God gives us, we also receive the Holy Spirit, whom God sent to remain with us on earth and to guide us after Jesus ascended to the throne of God in Heaven.
He offers us a new spirit, and we will always have His Spirit with us!
3. Understanding of God’s Love
As the woman at the well came to understand, our God loves us and sent His son to quench our thirsty spirits with the water of life. In speaking to Jesus at the well, the woman came to know Him, and Jesus answered her that He is the Messiah, sent to give us living water.
When we think about the living water and the spirit God sent down to earth for us, we can have a greater understanding of God’s love for us.
4. Healing
Living water offers us healing. As there are healing physical benefits of water, the everlasting spring of water God gives us has healing benefits as well. His living water is healing to our souls!
Like a flowing river to thirsty land, His love and living water covers us and brings blessings with it.
5. A Close Relationship with Jesus
One of the most important things to our Christian faith is our relationship with Christ. The more we understand the living water He offers us and how our souls thirst for Him, the closer we can be to Him while we remain on earth.
6. Fulfillment in God
Ultimately, we can find fulfillment in God! Drinking physical water means we will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water of life God offers will have a never-failing stream of living water. We can have full assurance in Him that this living water will quench our need for reliance on anything else.
Biblical References to Water
While we have explored the symbolism, there are many more direct references to water in the Bible that encourage us.
Here are some more Bible verses about water:
- Proverbs 18:4 “The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.”
- Isaiah 44:3 “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring, and My blessing on your descendants.”
- Isaiah 12:3 “Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation.”
- Isaiah 55:1 “Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.”
- John 4:14 “but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.“
- John 7:37-39 “Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out saying, “If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, “From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.””
How can we understand these messages if we don’t understand our daily need for water like we need the Spirit? Water satisfies every system and organ in our body, yet no physical water can satisfy our soul except salvation – the living water – offered by Christ Himself.
Practical Application: Drinking Pure Water
Water is important. Essential even. Now that we’ve glimpsed at the spiritual relevance of water and the physical benefits, let’s dive into how we can get the most out of our water.
Water from different sources can be filled with varying chemicals that can be harmful to the body, which is why it was important to my husband and I to have quality drinking water when we began our health journey. Through the years, we have had to choose different sources for our kitchen faucet, refrigerator, and our whole house to ensure clean drinking water.
What You Should Look for High-Quality Filters to Remove
- Carcinogens
- Heavy metals
- Lead
- Arsenic
- Fluoride
- Chlorine – we are on a well so this is not an issue
- Agricultural runoff – chemicals
- Bacteria
Plus it must taste good! Next, it comes to the price and quality of products used.
Water Pitcher
We like a water pitcher that can both travel with us and be used at home. This WaterDrop Chubby Pitcher does both. As a bonus, its filter lasts 3 months and has an indicator that lets you know when it’s time for a replacement.
The 7-layer filtration includes activated carbon plus a silver activation that prevents mold and bacteria from growing in the water. Super important!
Refrigerator Replacement Filter
Don’t rely on the brand of filter that came with your refrigerator to be the best. We filter our drinking water beyond the quality of the filter included.
This WaterDrop Replacement Filters brand meets all my criteria for purifying water. Additionally, these water filters are made from natural, coconut-shell, activated carbon material with micropores that trap impurities and contaminants and keep them out of your water.
When tested, the new filter replacement removed more chemicals and other contaminants. It was worth the change.
Under-the-Sink Reverse Osmosis Filter
I am happy to have found this small, reasonably-priced unit. In the past we have paid much more. Not only is this WaterDrop Reverse Osmosis System a perfect fit and less expensive, but installation and replacing the filters is much simpler than our previous under-the-sink filters!
The 10 Commandments of Good Hydration & Achieving the Benefits of Water!
- Drink 1/2 ounce daily for every pound you weigh.
- Avoid diuretic beverages that flush water out of your body, such as caffeinated coffee, tea, soda, and alcohol.
- Drink more water and fresh juices to maintain hydration during illness and upon recovery. Illness robs your body of water.
- Start your day with 1/2 to 1 quart of water to flush your digestive tract and rehydrate your system from the overnight fast.
- Drink water at regular intervals throughout the day. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty.
- Get in the habit of carrying a water bottle with you. Keep one in the car or on your desk. Convenience helps. Use a water purifier in your home and refill a quality bottle to go with you.
- Make a habit of drinking water. Decide to drink before every meal – at least 30 minutes. Take water breaks instead of coffee breaks.
- Increase your drinking when you increase your mental activity level, your stress level, and your exercise level.
- Drink the purest, cleanest water available.
- Perspire. Exercise to the point of perspiration or enjoy a steam bath. Sweat cleans the lymphatic system and bloodstream. It is one of the best detoxification avenues available to us. Drink plenty of water afterward to replace the loss of fluids. Drink more water in hot weather.
The cellular physical and spiritual benefits of water make it one of the most important elements of a health journey. I hope these tips and resources are helpful as you drink in more of Jesus’ living water throughout the day.
