I Water it Every Moment

Follow us on the web

Subscribe to the Diocese's Email List

Join to receive messages from His Grace and event reminders or update your information.

home › resources › literature › I Water it Every Moment

Keraza Magazine issue 3-4 January 27, 2017

In an amazing praise, Isaiah the prophet kept singing to vineyard of red wine saying, "I, the Lord, keep it, I water it every moment" (Isaiah 27:3). It is well known that every plant has a unique nature. The ability to tolerate thirst differs from one plant to the other. Some plants need to be watered once a week and some others need to be watered once every day or every other day. Nevertheless, we never heard in the agricultural field about a plant that needs to be watered every moment!! Yet, the laws and traditions of the heavenly kingdom state that every human soul is like a very sensitive plant that needs to be watered every moment literally and not figuratively. This is actually the reason lying behind the Lord Jesus Christ, our True Vine, warning us saying that in the same moment we do not abide in Him we will be cast out as a branch and will be withered. The sun of temptations, that is blazed at noon, must burn every branch that is not watered by the oil of God's grace. The more a soul is thirsty to God, the more she becomes attached to Him and abides in Him. As for the soul who forsakes God, the fountain of living water, and hews herself broken cisterns that can hold no water, seeking her satiety from the fake vine of the world, she remains thirsty forever as long as, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again" (John 4:13). This is the reason that made David supplicating the Lord saying, "My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water" (Psalms 63:1), and, "I spread out my hands to You; My soul longs for You like a thirsty land" (Psalms 143:6).

For a vinedresser to water the vine every moment, he is required to remain all the day with it in a constant watchful state. Hence, Isaiah continues his song saying, "Lest any hurt it, I keep it night and day" (Isaiah 27:3). David also says, "Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep" (Psalms 121:4).

A single moment of time has a great value in the kingdom of God. If Elisha would miss the single moment of Elijah's ascension to heaven, he would never get double portion of his spirit. If the thief on Jesus right side would miss the single moment of his visitation, he would never be with Him in the Paradise. If the master of the house would miss the single moment when the thief would come, his house would be broken into. If the soldier would forsake his armor for a single moment, the enemy would kill him. If the city would open its doors for a single moment, the mob would enter it. If Jesus divinity would part from His humanity for a single moment or a twinkle of an eye, our salvation would not be fulfilled. Therefore, St. Anthony exhorts us saying, "Seek repentance all the time, and do not leave yourself to laziness for one single moment." All the dreadful events of the fall of great saints into sin started with a single moment of inattention, laziness, and negligence. Every huge tree of bad habits starts with a small seed planted by the devil inside the soul in a single moment. Therefore, a soul needs to be attached to God with all her mind, all her heart, and all her strength every moment. To achieve this, she must seek two things: constant prayer, and meditation upon the Holy Bible's commandments day and night. Only then, man abides in God, He abides in him, and all the moments of his life become sanctified.

Bishop Youssef
Bishop, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States