THE WATER OF LIFE CYCLE: A PARABLE

One of the basic lessons in grade school science that fascinated my young mind was the Water Cycle. An amazing process it is that brings rain out of an invisible vapor, and the rain then through another step is absorbed into the roots and stem of a plant and from the plant is released back into the air again as an invisible vapor that repeats the cycle. The statement I saw on one site I researched indicated that all the water that ever has been on earth moves through this cycle again and again, and what we are drinking today may have been in the glass of Alexander the Great. It’s been re-purified, of course!

As I pursued the subject, I encountered several terms that identify the different parts of the cycle. First, the SUN is an essential part of the cycle’s equation, for its energy of heat or lack thereof, causes both the change from water to vapor and the reverse. VAPOR, of course, is first, the invisible essence of the water, and when cooled in CONDENSATION forms rain clouds, then PRECIPITATION in the form of rain, snow, sleet or hail from the sky. Here, the invisible becomes very visible and it forms both SURFACE and SUBSURFACE RUNOFF that flows into streams, rivers, lakes and oceans. Some is absorbed by the ground whereby INFILTRATION draws it through the roots and stems of plant life. Here the energy of the SUN enables plant growth and TRANSPIRATION, the process of releasing the water through the leaves into the atmosphere as VAPOR. The water that finds its way by runoff into the ocean is then heated by the SUN causing EVAPORATION, also releasing water in the form of VAPOR. This water, having been carried through a variety of mineral deposits, on arrival at the ocean has resulting SALT content. EVAPORATION causes the remaining water to have increased SALT content levels. The water is also moved in its cycle by living organisms, human and animal. It may be consumed in its liquid form or be present in the food that is consumed. It then leaves as a gas during RESPIRATION, is excreted, or may EVAPORATE from the skin as PRESPIRATION.



Now that I have laid out a brief summary of The Water Cycle, allow me to set forth a spiritual parallel as it relates to the INCARNATION of Christ into human form. The great INVISIBLE God sent “His only begotten Son” to be born into VISIBLE human flesh by the power of His Spirit. This flesh-made image of God the Father then had both the divine spiritual nature and the earth-bound human nature. Out of God in the Spiritual heavenlies the Very WATER OF LIFE performed a holy CONDENSATION and RAINED Himself down upon the earth. That WATER was collected in a human vessel that was formed by the Master Potter Himself. Then, through the process of bonding vessel and WATER, overshadowed by the Potter’s Hand, His Holy Spirit, God’s Son came to the time of INAUGURATION of His primary work. Coming to the Jordan River, this Son, the WATER OF LIFE was IMMERSED, WATER into WATER’S burial of submission to His Father’s will. Rising from it in a prophetic RESURRECTION, He received the Father’s commendation, and left for the wilderness to have His vessel FIRED in the kiln of TEMPTATION. Once tested and His vessel affirmed in the Father’s will to bear the precious WATER OF LIFE, He proceeded to share His contents with many whose own vessels were dry and cracked, restoring and filling theirs from His own. After three years of pouring Himself into His chosen disciples, this WATER OF LIFE came to the close of His purpose as INCARNATE Son of God. He went up on a mountain where a TRANSFIGURATION of His true nature was revealed, both man and Divine, in a foretaste of the INVISIBLE and VISIBLE in ONE, conversing with Moses and Elijah. From this point, His WATER OF LIFE Cycle moved deliberately into a HEATING process that would bring about His CRUCIFIXION, DEATH of the visible WATER OF LIFE’s VISIBLE form, revealing further His cycle’s RESURRECTION movement through the final state of ASCENDANCY back to the INVISIBLE realm from which He came. In a way, a spiritual EVAPORATION which paralleled His INCARNATION’S PRECIPATATION to earth. (Let me give credit for inspiration of the cycle of terms I’ve illustrated in The Cycle of Jesus’s Life. It’s the brain child of my Broco, i.e., Bro/Cuz, Ray Edwards. I’ve simply expanded on it by adding analogy’s parable. Thanks, Ray!)

Permit me, if you will to make some further analogies on this theme as it relates to the work of Christ as the WATER OF LIFE that has come to us. My analogy in the preceding paragraph follows the WATER CYCLE’S process by EVAPORATION, however, spiritually it can be pointed out that the purpose of Christ’s coming was to also INFILTRATE the lives of men, thus giving an added result of His INCARNATION, not only into the physical life of the Son of man on earth, but into the lives of men who allow Him entrance by belief and confession’s invitation. Here, too, the INVISIBLE becomes VISIBLE through the active presence of the Holy Spirit in the display of His gifts. Here, also, DEATH brings the blessed release of spiritual TRANSPIRATION, again into the INVISIBLE realm of the departed in Christ.

Perhaps now you are saying, “Okay, I get the picture. Now, your point.”Simply this, first, that just as Jesus taught in parables to bring great truth to light, often the use of such can help us visualize the reality of God’s plan to send His only Begotten into visual human form, to enable us to experience what our senses often tell us cannot be real. The CYCLE OF WATER is an illustration of reality we can understand, that can reveal that deeper truth that can evade some minds. Secondly, for me it again affirms the creative purpose of God in orchestrating nature’s laws and CYCLES, for they are reflective mirrors of His own nature, purpose and glory. Paul writes in Romans 1:20, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”

Oh, yes! I mentioned the SALT left from the EVAPORATION of the ocean. It is true also that with the coming of Jesus into the Christian's life, that with the process of that INFILTRATION and TRANSPIRATION, we become more SALTY with His greater Presence in us.

My friends, be encouraged today as Christ Himself INFILTRATES and makes Himself VISIBLE through your lives.