Water Above and Water Below
Read: Genesis 1:9-13 And the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. (v. 10 NRSV) We live on what some call “The
Steven Bouma-Prediger August 15, 2025
Water is essential to life—not just for our bodies but for our souls. In the Living Water devotional series, theologian and nature lover Steven Bouma-Prediger invites you on a refreshing journey through Scripture, exploring the deep, life-giving significance of water in God’s Word and our world.
From the very beginning of creation to the final vision of the new heaven and earth, the Bible is filled with images of water—rivers that nourish, streams that bring joy, and sacred waters that cleanse and renew. These daily devotions reflect on the beauty of creation, the power of baptism, the justice God desires, and the promise of living water offered through Christ. Through the lens of rivers, seas, and storms, you’ll encounter a God who calms, who provides, and who transforms.
Whether you find yourself navigating personal drought or longing to reconnect with the rhythms of God’s grace, this series invites you to drink deeply from the source that never runs dry. It’s a call to remember who you are—marked by water, sustained by love, and called to be stewards of the world God made.
Let these reflections renew your spirit, deepen your gratitude, and remind you: the living water Jesus offers is not just a metaphor—it is your daily, sustaining reality. Come, drink, and be refreshed.
Read: Genesis 1:9-13 And the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. (v. 10 NRSV) We live on what some call “The
Read: Genesis 1:20-23 Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures. (v. 20 NRSV) The water was crystal clear and the color of turquoise. We couldn’t wait to see
Read: Genesis 2:4-14 A river flows out of Eden to water the garden. (v. 10 NRSV) The Bible begins and ends with rivers and trees. Have you noticed? The Bible
Read: Deuteronomy 8:1-10 A land with flowing streams, with springs and underground waters welling up. (v. 7 NRSV) Some years ago I took a group of college students hiking in
Read: Psalm 1 They are like trees planted by streams of water. (v. 3 NRSV) I was watering my new trees earlier today. A couple weeks ago I planted two
Read: Ezekiel 47:1-12 Water was flowing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east. (v. 1 NRSV) It rained and thundered and lightninged for almost ten hours. The
Read: Amos 5:21-24 Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. (v. 24 NRSV) Years ago I paddled some whitewater rivers in the southeast. As part
Read: Matthew 3:13-17 And when Jesus had been baptized . . . (v. 16 NRSV) Baptism. As followers of Jesus, we do it in different ways. Some of us dunk;
Read: Mark 4:35-41 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” (v. 39 NRSV) It was a terrible storm. The wind was so
Steve Bouma-Prediger is the Leonard and Marjorie Mass Professor of Reformed Theology at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. A graduate of Hope College, his Ph.D. is in religious studies from The University of Chicago. His most recent book is Earthkeeping and Character: Exploring a Christian Ecological Virtue Ethic.
When not teaching or writing, he spends as much time as possible canoeing or backpacking in his favorite places in North America or simply hiking among the magnificent trees in southwest Michigan parks.