'EDINMA' - STREAMS OF JOY

"Edinma! Edinma!" Ayoola cried out

"The water is running"

Frantically abandoning the onions she had been slicing to prepare dinner that evening, Edinma scampered towards the village square, to the site of the newly installed borehole for the Kola community.

It had been 8 years...

Eight years had passed since the jolly politician had showed them a picture of the community borehole, soliciting their votes and promising to install it once he was elected into power as the senator. Kola residents had then jumped on the campaign promises, happy that at long last, it wouldn't cost them an arduous 45-minute trip to the closest stream where they had gotten water for years.

However, 8 years later, the borehole got installed. But it was election season again; and the jolly senator was back. This time, he wanted to be governor...

Edinma made the 5-minute run to the village square, with Ayoola trailing behind her. Brimming over with excitement, she met a sight happy dreams were made off. Fresh, crisp water running freely. Children scampering around, doing happy dances as they clung to the garments of their parents, eager to glimpse the sight of water. Residents queued, buckets in hand, smiles on faces, waiting to get their turn. Edinma joyfully joined the queue, finally catching her breath enough to say another word to Ayoola since he first broke the happy news to her.

But something was off...

Edinma checked her hands, and suddenly realized that she had no bucket. No cup. Nothing with which to draw this new fresh water staring at her in the face. A pang of disappointment gripped her. In her haste, she had forgotten to get the most important thing that would ensure she got a taste of the fresh water from the borehole. As she made a U-turn home to grab her bucket, she shook off the disappointment. Nothing was going to spoil this day...

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Edinma's pang of initial disappointment at discovering she had nothing to draw water sounds familiar; it reminds me of the story in the Bible, when the Samaritan woman had asked Jesus why He had no bucket with which to draw water.

The woman replied, “But sir, you don’t even have a bucket, and the well is very deep. So where do you find this ‘living water’? - John 4:11 (TPT)

Lately, I have been having conversations with loved ones around the fact on a regular day, there was always something to brood about that could sap joy away from you. Think about the news on TV. Life issues with friends and loved ones. Your own personal needs. One thing or another, week after week. Most people will call it "adulting"

While I thought about these things, the Holy Spirit brought this scripture that I knew to mind.

Therefore with joy will you draw water from the wells of salvation. - Isaiah 12:3 (AMPC)

I got a fresh insight into this scripture. For the first time, I saw "joy" as a bucket with which I could draw water from the well of Salvation. Little wonder our joy is often attacked on a regular basis. Reminds me of the seeds that fell on the rocky ground and among thorns in the parable of the sower (found in Matthew 13:1–23, Mark 4:1–20, Luke 8:4–15). Cares of life and seasons of difficulty choked out the joy from their lives - the word of God definitely couldn't profit or bear fruit in such hearts. They couldn't draw water from the well.

As I meditated further, this scripture was a reminder for me (and for you too) to guard my joy. Else I become like Edinma. Staring at the whole wonderful benefits from my new life in Christ, but having no bucket to draw with because joy has been sapped out completely.

As I thought on this scripture again, I realized again that Jesus indeed had a bucket that day as he spoke with the Samaritan woman in the story in John 4. He was talking about "Living Waters" and He definitely had enough joy to draw out from it.