The eight principles of health · 4 of 8
Water
Water is one of the simplest gifts of all. Our bodies need it every day, inside and out, and Jesus used it as a picture of what He offers the soul.
- What it is
- Clean water, inside and out, through the day.
- Why it matters
- Like air and food, it is a need we cannot make for ourselves.
- Where to start
- A glass of water when you get up each morning.
Key verse
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
Isaiah 35:6
“for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.”
A basic need
Dr Horst Müller lists water with oxygen, food and warmth as the basic physical needs of every person. Like the others, we cannot make it ourselves. We have to take it from the source God provides. Thirst is the body's way of asking for it.
“You need water, but the water you need is outside of yourself and must be brought in for you to live.”
“He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.”
Psalm 104:10–11 (KJV)
One of heaven's choicest blessings
Water is the drink God made for every living thing. It has no sugar and no colouring, and it comes out of the tap for next to nothing. Ellen G. White counted it among heaven's best gifts, in health and in sickness alike.
“In health and in sickness, pure water is one of heaven’s choicest blessings. Its proper use promotes health. It is the beverage which God provided to quench the thirst of animals and man.”
A clean source
Dr Mark Sandoval teaches that it is not enough to know we need something and to take it in. The source has to be good as well. Water is his example.
In practice, drink from a safe supply. If your home runs on tank water, have it tested and looked after. Rainwater straight off the roof is for the garden unless it has been properly treated.
“If you believe that you need water and you drink water, but the water you drink is polluted, that will still promote diseased fruit and leaves. But, if you believe that you need water and you drink enough pure water, that will promote healthy leaves and fruit—good symptoms.”
“And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.”
Isaiah 58:11 (KJV)
Water moves in a circle
Dr Müller teaches that nature works in cycles, and that a cycle ends where it begins. His example is the water cycle. Water rises from the sea, falls as rain, runs down the rivers and returns to the sea, and along the way it gives life to people, plants and animals.
Our bodies are part of that cycle. The water we drink is used and passed on, so it needs topping up again and again.
“All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.”
Ecclesiastes 1:7 (KJV)
Drinking well
Plain water is the best drink. Keep a glass or bottle where you can see it and sip through the day. As we get older, thirst can be easier to miss, so it helps to drink at set times, such as with each meal and in between. Sweet fizzy drinks and alcohol are best left alone.
Water is good on the outside too. A warm bath or shower can help you relax at the end of the day, and washing your hands helps keep illness from spreading.
Living water
Jesus spoke of water to describe what He offers: something that meets a thirst nothing else can. The body needs water every day, and the heart needs God every day. His offer, like water from a spring, is free.
“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”
Isaiah 55:1 (KJV)
Something to try this week
- Start each day with a glass of water.
- Keep a bottle of water where you will see it.
- Have a drink of water with each meal and between meals.
- Swap one sweet or fizzy drink a day for water.
- If your doctor has told you to limit how much you drink, follow their advice.
“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”
Revelation 22:17 (KJV)
These pages are general health education, not medical advice. Everyone is different, so if you have a health concern, or you are thinking about a big change, please talk with your doctor first.
Where these words come from
Every Bible verse on this page is from the King James Version, quoted word for word, so you can look each one up for yourself. The other quotations are copied exactly from these books, with the page they are on:
- Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing Read free in our health library
- Dr Mark Sandoval, The Law of Life Read the first chapter free
Keep reading
The eight principles, in order. Choose any one to read next.