Fountains, Cisterns, Wells, and Streams

Key Thought | Our marriages are meant to be life-giving places of refreshment, fountains that stir, cisterns that store, wells that sustain, and streams that flow from the Source of life Himself.

Key Scripture | “Drink water from your own cistern, And running water from your own well. Should your fountains be dispersed abroad, Streams of water in the streets? Let them be only your own, And not for strangers with you. Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice with the wife of your youth.” — Proverbs 5:15–18 (NKJV)

Everywhere we look in Scripture, water represents life. In this direct proverb, a father writes to his son, warning him about “drinking” from the right places instead of the wrong ones.

Our marriages are meant to be fountains, cisterns, wells, and streams of fresh water. Yet you can’t draw fresh water from a place that’s empty. Let’s look at what this imagery teaches us about keeping our marriages healthy and full.

• Fountains are meant to stir up the water so it doesn’t become stagnant. While they’re beautiful to look at, they also serve a vital purpose. They keep things moving. In marriage, we can’t afford to let things grow still or complacent. When was the last time you invited help to stir the waters of your marriage? There are many things we can be “good enough” at, but marriage isn’t one of them. God has called us to tend it, nurture it, and keep it stirred.
  
  
• Cisterns store things of great value. This speaks to how precious marriage truly is. Yet too often, we treat it as common or let it slip to the bottom of our priorities. Many of us have placed our kids, our work, or the demands of ministry above our spouse. But marriage needs investment, equity stored up in times of plenty so that when hard seasons come, there’s something to draw from.
  
  
• Wells are one of the most beautiful pictures of marriage. In the dry regions of the world, communities survive because of wells, deep places that hold fresh water even in deserts. The same is true for us. We all walk through dry seasons, but those are meant to drive us deeper, not cause us to give up. Just because something requires work doesn’t mean it’s bad. The best things in life are worth digging for. Water is under your feet; you just may need to dig deeper. Lauren and I can both testify: the digging is worth it.
  
  
• Streams all share one thing in common: they have a source. When a stream runs dry, it’s because something has compromised the source. Our source in marriage must be God. If the flow of love, joy, or connection feels blocked, maybe it’s time to trace it back to the source. Have we lost focus, become distracted, or disconnected from Him?
  
  

Fountains, cisterns, wells, and streams – each one paints a picture of what God intended marriage to be: a life-giving, refreshing covenant that flows from His heart. What He’s done for Lauren and me, He will do for you. God shows no favoritism. Marriage takes two people willing to do the work, but when both commit to it, God will pour out blessings on your relationship beyond anything you could imagine.

Prayer | Father, thank You for the gift of marriage. Help me to tend to it as You designed—to stir it, protect it, invest in it, and draw deeply from it. Be the source of our love and strength. May our marriage overflow with life that reflects Your goodness. Amen.

Reflection | Which part of your marriage needs attention today—a fountain that needs stirring, a cistern that needs refilling, a well that needs digging, or a stream that needs to reconnect to its source?

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