Elder David A. Bednar on constant replenishing our living water

Elder David A. Bednar (born June 15, 1952) was serving as the president of BYU–Idaho when he was called and sustained as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in October 2004.

"The scriptures contain the words of Christ and are a reservoir of living water to which we have ready access and from which we can drink deeply and long. You and I must look to and come unto Christ, who is 'the fountain of living waters' (1 Nephi 11:25; compare Ether 8:26, 12:28), by reading (see Mosiah 1:5), studying (see D&C 26:1), searching (see John 5:39; Alma 17:2), and feasting (see 2 Nephi 32:3) upon the words of Christ as contained in the holy scriptures. By so doing, we can receive both spiritual direction and protection during our mortal journey....

"Through normal activity each day, you and I lose a substantial amount of the water that constitutes so much of our physical bodies. Thirst is a demand by the cells of the body for water, and the water in our bodies must be replenished daily. It frankly does not make sense to occasionally 'fill up' with water, with long periods of dehydration in between. The same thing is true spiritually. Spiritual thirst is a need for living water. A constant flow of living water is far superior to sporadic sipping.

"Are you and I daily reading, studying, and searching the scriptures in a way that enables us to hold fast to the rod of iron—or are you and I merely clinging? Are you and I pressing forward toward the fountain of living waters—relying upon the word of God? These are important questions for each of us to ponder prayerfully."

- David A. Bednar, "A Reservoir of Living Water," BYU devotional, Feb. 4, 2007
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The concept of "living water" is a beautiful one. As much as we depend on physical water for our existence and sustenance, we equally require the spiritual water from the Lord to stay strong in another sense. Elder Bednar points out that the scriptures speak of a reservoir and a fountain to which we have "ready access" if we are willing to seek them out and then "drink deeply and long." It requires our agency, our initiative, to choose to receive the living water God offers to us.

Elder Bednar suggests there are different approaches to replenishing water, but some are more effective than others:

The key for us, in order to have a steady supply of the living water in our lives, is in "daily reading, studying, and searching the scriptures." By doing that, we will be continually "pressing forward toward the fountain of living waters—relying upon the word of God." Truly we should cultivate that habit in our lives!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2017)