Old Wells: Drawing Fresh Water from Ancient Depths

St Cuthbert’s Church Image by Kelsey Carter

It was an impromptu adventure that led me to Edinburgh. After wandering the busy streets and staring up at the towering rock-hewn castle, I stumbled on an old church called St. Cuthbert’s.

I have visited many old, even ancient, sites of worship across England, Ireland, and Italy. As I sit next to St. Cuthbert’s—which dates back 13 centuries— I can feel the deep well of worship that has been dug here in the spirit.

But the Lord said to me, "Even deep wells grow stagnant and murky when not drawn from."

I am not making a statement or judgment about this particular church because I really don’t know its current state. But this word is for any Believer, church, or place of worship that has pressed in, dug deep wells, and cultivated something with the Lord.

If a well isn't used to draw water, it's just a hole in the ground with water that eventually becomes undrinkable and contaminated.

How are spiritual wells dug?

One shovel-full at a time. In the spiritual sense, that means one prayer, one worship session, one moment alone with Him at a time.

This involves having to dig through rock and dirt, mud, and old tree roots to find the water source.  We all have distractions, hurts, offenses, bad doctrine, or any number of issues to work through in our well-digging with the Lord. Some days will feel easy, while others are heavy with mud and mire.

What are wells for?

To provide the most essential nutrient needed by all creation: water. But contaminated water is as dangerous as having no water. There can't be mixture in our worship. It is Jesus, and He alone, who is the source of this Eternal Water. Any other religion, doctrine, or entity will contaminate the water. We can even contaminate it with our self, our flesh. Spiritual wells are dug by our spirit, not our soul.

The West-Bow Well was erected in 1674 to take care of the local residents. Unfortunately it was built with lead pipes.

These wells are for us and others to draw from. Wells are communal. Even though you dig your well with the Lord, it is so that others can drink the water of life through you; so that you have something to pour out. You aren't the water--that's Jesus-- you are the well, the vessel containing the water.

In a time of corporate worship in the church or even small gatherings of believers, your well combines with others to create a unique pool of worship and ministry. Each well brings its own proprietary elements to make something even more beautiful and life-giving.

So consider this: when was the last time you dug a little deeper into the Word, into prayer, or simply into the presence of God? If you're not going deeper, you're not going to get the good water. Fresh water is found deep, don't settle for the sips from the muddy surface streams.

Are others able and desiring to draw from your well? Do you have fresh water of revelation, love, compassion, healing, prophecy, generosity, and faith to give away when others need it, or are you storing it only for yourself? When water is drawn from a well, fresh water is able to flow in and replenish it. If you're not giving anything away, nothing new can flow in.

And no, you won't ever find the bottom of the Eternal well. You won't be able to exhaust it, so keep going. There's always more. The deeper your well, the more water you can give away.

Keep digging, the world needs your well.