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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 57109 ***
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+
+Unfailing Springs
+J. Hudson Taylor
+
+
+"JESUS answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of
+GOD, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou
+wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living
+water.
+
+"Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall
+never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in
+him a well of water springing up unto eternal life."
+
+John 4:10, 14, RV.
+
+9,000 in print
+
+----
+
+Unfailing Springs
+
+"Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev.
+22:17)
+
+THE best evidence of Christianity is a Christ-like life, and the
+best evidence of the inspiration of the Word of GOD is found in
+the Word itself; when studied, loved, obeyed, and trusted, it
+never disappoints, never misleads, never fails. Why is so much
+time worse than wasted over criticism of its different books?
+What is needed is the humble, reverent, prayerful meditation of
+those who are determined to do the will of GOD; to such the
+guidance of the Spirit is promised, and the divine perfections of
+the Word are revealed. Is there anything of human manufacture
+that is not easily proved to be man's work when tested by the
+microscope? It reveals imperfections in the finest workmanship;
+while under similar treatment the minutest object of GOD'S
+creation is only shown to be more marvellously perfect. There is
+the same difference between man's word and GOD'S Word; the latter
+tried by appropriate tests is proved to be Divine.
+
+Like many other parts of Holy Scripture the narrative of the
+fourth chapter of John may be profitably studied as an item of
+ancient history. It shows how the Son of GOD in the days of His
+flesh, doing the will of His Father, must needs go through
+Samaria, and avoid the route to the east of the Jordan by which
+the Jews were wont to escape contact with the Samaritans. It is
+most instructive to notice how the exhausted SAVIOUR forgot his
+weariness in the presence of a soul needing salvation; and how
+with divine wisdom He drew out the sympathy, surprise and
+attention of the sinful, ignorant woman, and called forth her own
+confession, "I have no husband". How in a sentence He revealed to
+her His knowledge of her whole life, and fulfilled her own ideal
+of what the CHRIST would do. Then, giving her that which she so
+ignorantly asked--the Living Water--He plainly stated to her that
+He was indeed the CHRIST of GOD, and allowed her in the impulse
+of a new life to do that which even the disciples had not
+attempted to do--to bear such witness concerning Him as to bring
+the multitudes to His feet. It is indeed an interesting and
+profitable item of ancient history, and as such is worthy of much
+more minute examination.
+
+But is there not another standpoint from which it behoves us to
+consider this narrative? Why has it been recorded, but for our
+instruction? Is not the living CHRIST speaking now through this
+story to us, who as much need the Living Water as did the
+Samaritan woman? With this thought in mind let us notice
+particularly the words used by our Saviour of this Living Water.
+
+JESUS said (v. 10) "If thou knewest the gift of GOD, and who it
+is that saith to thee, Give Me to drink; thou wouldst have asked
+of Him, and He would have given thee Living Water." How simple
+the conditions! If thou knewest thou wouldst have asked, and He
+would have given; she had not asked because she had not known;
+but surely we who know, and happily, believe the words of the
+LORD recorded in the preceding chapter, "GOD so loved the world
+that He gave His only begotten Son . . ." do know the gift of
+GOD--the Living Saviour who is as present with us now, according
+to His own promise--"Lo, I am with you alway"--as He was then
+with the woman of Samaria. Realizing His presence, and knowing
+Him as GOD'S gift, is it not our privilege at once to ask and His
+joy at once to give us this precious gift--Living Water?
+Assuredly it is for this very purpose that the words have been
+put on record. We may not know, we cannot tell all that is
+involved in the gift, but if we know Him, that is sufficient. "As
+for GOD His way is perfect" we have only to fulfil our part, to
+ask of Him the Living Water, and leave to Him all the results.
+
+But let us see what further He has to say to us: in verse 13 He
+says, "Every one that drinketh of this water [that of Jacob's
+well] shall thirst again"; the woman who heard these words knew
+by experience that this was true; and we also have proved that it
+is true of all earthly water, all earthly gifts. We should indeed
+thank GOD for our temporal blessings, comforts, and joys: they
+are not mere superfluities; they meet real needs, and are tokens
+of our Heavenly Father's love; but while they help and gratify,
+they do not permanently satisfy, they leave us to thirst again,
+and, oh! how deep is the thirst oft-times! But our Saviour
+continues (verse 14), "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I
+shall give him SHALL NEVER THIRST". Wonderful words! Let our glad
+souls take in their fulness. "Shall," not may, certainly shall;
+"never", by no means for ever more (lit.); "thirst", be left
+longing, left unsatisfied, faint, but unrefreshed. Blessed
+assurance of never-ending refreshment and strength!
+
+"SHALL NEVER THIRST." What a promise! How often we have thirsted!
+How many weary and unsatisfied hearts there are; and yet this
+full supply was not intended to be the special portion of some
+exceptionally favoured soul, for note the SAVIOUR'S word,
+"Whosoever drinketh", it is free to all. May the Holy Spirit
+enable us to take our place as included in the "whosoever", and
+give their full and blessed meaning to those marvellous words,
+"shall never thirst". To know that "shall" means shall, that
+"never" means never, that "thirst" means any unsatisfied need,
+may be one of the greatest revelations GOD has ever made to our
+souls.
+
+Let us not, however, change the SAVIOUR'S words. Note carefully
+He does not say, Whosoever has drunk, but "drinketh": He speaks,
+not of one isolated draught, but of the continuous habit of the
+soul. In this, as in many other passages, it is important to mark
+the force of continuous habit expressed by the present tense of
+the Greek verbs. There is full and deep satisfaction at the first
+draught of the Living Water, which, however, is a perennial
+supply for constant use. This the LORD brings out more fully when
+He says, "But the water that I shall give him shall be [or better
+'become', RV] in him a well of water springing up unto eternal
+life". These words explain why the partaking of the Living Water
+is not followed by renewed thirst. The Living Water becomes a
+well, a fountain, always available, springing up in the believer,
+not only leaving no room for thirst, but overflowing for the
+supply of the need of others unceasingly.
+
+Nor is this wonderful promise unique and without parallel. It
+always was, and is still, the SAVIOUR'S purpose to satisfy. On
+the occasion of the feeding of the five thousand (John 6),
+Philip's highest thought was to procure sufficient that everyone
+should have a little; but the LORD took the little they already
+had and multiplied it in the giving, so that each one had as much
+as he would, and twelve baskets were filled with that which
+remained after all were satisfied. The next day our LORD raised
+their thoughts to the true Bread from heaven, saying, "I am the
+Bread of Life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he
+that believeth on Me shall never thirst". Or more fully and
+literally, "He who is [habitually] coming to Me, shall by no
+means hunger, and he who is believing on Me shall by no means
+thirst at any time". The Greek word is the same as that used in
+the passage, "No man has seen God at any time". The habit of
+coming in faith to Him is incompatible with unmet hunger and
+thirst. Again, in John 7 CHRIST says, "If any man thirst, let him
+come unto Me, and drink. He that is believing on Me, as the
+Scripture hath said, out of him shall flow rivers of living
+water; this spake He of the Spirit, which those who are believing
+on Him should receive."
+
+There is something very delightful in the truth thus taught:
+instead of conscious need and unsatisfied longing, abundant
+supply and overflowing satisfaction; instead of poverty and
+weakness, wealth and strength wherewith to help other needy ones.
+What a Divine Saviour! What a full and perfect salvation! GOD'S
+overflow more than supplies the lack of individual capacity. We
+cannot all be great, or wealthy or strong, wise or experienced;
+but CHRIST is made unto us wisdom and righteousness,
+sanctification and redemption: He wills to be our all in all for
+life and service.
+
+Wandering among GOD'S beautiful mountains on a delightful
+summer's day, how soon one becomes weary with climbing, and
+parched with thirst. Guided by the sound of running water, we
+seek the shade of an overhanging rock, and a draught from the
+crystal stream falling from above. It may be we have but a small
+vessel from which to drink, but we can fill it again and again,
+for the supply is inexhaustible. If the cup be small, it will
+soon be full and overflow: had we a bucket it would take longer
+filling, but, once full, it would equally overflow: and if a huge
+barrel were placed under the stream, it, too, in time would
+overflow. And the overflow in each case would be the same, for it
+depends not on the size of the vessel but on the unfailing supply
+of the stream.
+
+Thus the saved Samaritan woman, without any preparation or any
+other fitness, could at once draw to her newly-found Saviour a
+multitude of needy souls, while many an eloquent preacher can
+leave the multitudes to go home unsaved and unsatisfied.
+Understanding this, it ceases to be a question of what we are, or
+what we can do, and the important thing is, have we brought our
+vessel to Him to be filled to overflow, that being more than
+satisfied ourselves, we may have to give to any and every thirsty
+one without stint and without fear? For the promise of John 7 is
+of rivers of living water, and of John 4 of an unfailing spring
+going on and on unto everlasting life.
+
+Let us not leave the subject without asking ourselves, beloved
+friends, where we are with reference to this matter. Are we
+amongst the thirsty ones, or amongst those who have come to the
+one great Source, and are drinking, believing, and therefore
+receiving, for their own need and the blessing of others?
+
+In conclusion, I should like to give a few words of personal
+testimony. It was in a time of deep spiritual need that the
+thoughts I have above expressed were given me when alone in
+inland China. I was painfully conscious that I was not living all
+that I was trying to teach the Chinese. Struggling for victory,
+too often I found myself defeated, until I asked myself whether I
+ought not to cease to preach, and to retire from missionary work.
+Fasting, prayer, meditation on the Word, all I could think of
+seemed powerless to help me, when one afternoon, in the course of
+my usual reading, I came to John 4. It had always been ancient
+history to me, and as such loved and appreciated, but that
+afternoon for the first time it became a present message to my
+soul. No one could have been more thirsty, and I there and then
+accepted the gracious invitation, and asked and received the
+Living Water, believing from His own Word that my thirsty days
+were all passed, not from any present feeling, but because of His
+promise. That same evening I took, without reluctance, my usual
+Bible-reading with the Chinese, and spoke freely, but without
+being specially conscious of power. At breakfast the following
+morning, however, I learned that one of my hearers had been
+brought into such deep conviction of sin as to pass the night
+sleeplessly; and from that time my ministry was owned of GOD as
+it had not been for some time before.
+
+Some months later I passed through a time of great trial and
+sorrow; the death of a beloved child, the sending home of three
+others, and the most trying time in China through which our
+beloved Mission has ever passed, bringing innumerable
+difficulties and perplexities; but it was also a time of deepened
+spiritual joy and rest, and of experience that my SAVIOUR was
+sufficient for every emergency. In Tientsin the Sisters of Mercy,
+the French Priests, and Consul had been massacred, and in all our
+inland stations there was excitement and peril. Almost daily I
+had letters from some group of workers asking for guidance, and
+wondering whether to stay or leave the station, as work for the
+time being was impossible. I knew not what to advise, but in each
+case, like Hezekiah, I spread the letters before the LORD, and
+trusted Him to teach me how to reply to them. There was no
+conscious revelation, but in every instance I was guided to reply
+in the way that led to the best results, and I sent each letter
+off in the joyful peace of knowing that I had asked and He had
+granted the wisdom that is profitable to direct. Just at this
+crisis my dear first wife had an attack of cholera, from which
+she rallied with difficulty; a little one was born and only lived
+a fortnight, a wet nurse not being procurable in that time of
+excitement. But again the Living Water proved sufficient for her
+and for me. The very evening after the funeral of the babe, my
+precious wife had an attack of syncope, from which she did not
+fully recover, and early the next morning she too was taken. Then
+I understood why the LORD had made this passage so real to me. An
+illness of some weeks followed, and oh I how lonesome at times
+were the weary hours when confined to my bed; how I missed my
+dear wife, and the little pattering footsteps of the children far
+away in England. Perhaps twenty times in a day, as I felt the
+heart-thirst coming back again, I cried to the LORD, "You
+promised me that I should never thirst", and at once the LORD
+came and more than satisfied my sorrowing heart, so that I often
+wondered whether it were possible that my loved one who had been
+taken could be enjoying a fuller revelation of His presence than
+I in the loneliness of my chamber. He had literally fulfilled the
+prayer--
+
+"LORD JESUS, make Thyself to me
+A living, bright reality;
+More present to faith's vision keen
+Than any earthly object seen;
+More dear, more intimately nigh
+Than e'en the sweetest human tie."
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Unfailing Springs, by J. Hudson Taylor
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 57109 ***