Living Water in the Land of the Dying

Jesus is our life-giving water even in death.

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“Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again.
But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again.
It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.'”

John 4:13-14 New Living Translation

A few years ago I made my first trip to Tincup, Colorado (and hopefully not my last). It’s not necessarily an easy trip from Colorado Springs.  There are no paved roads that lead to Tincup. There are few people who live here, especially in the winter. Yet, at one time it was a busy mining community. Evidence of how many people lived here are the number of headstones in the city cemetery.

Tincup, Colorado Copyright Douglas P Brauner

Tincup, Colorado
Copyright Douglas P Brauner

There are four knolls that make the Tincup cemetery unique: the Protestant Knoll, the Catholic Knoll, the Jewish Knoll, and Boot Hill where the non-religious were buried.

This little stream runs through the midst of these four knolls. I see a picture of Jesus in this small stream.

Buried at the Tincup cemetery are both Christians and non-Christians. Some of the people buried here drank deeply of Jesus and others rejected his life-giving blood. Both died, but not all are dead. Those who drank of Christ enjoy life even in death.

Death is painful. I’m sure that the soil of these graves absorbed many tears. Some of you have cried these same tears.

Jesus was not a stranger to death.  He was buried in his grave, a grave that felt the tears of those who loved him.  However, he is alive and has promised eternal life to all who hold on to him by faith.

Like that water that continually runs through this cemetery, the love of Christ continues to run through the lives of those who have died in Christ.

Text and Picture Copyright Douglas P Brauner

About Douglas Brauner

I'm a retired pastor, blogger, and photographer. (Oh, and did I mention husband and father?) I encourage people who wrestle with life to focus on Christ so that they experience hope and joy on life's treadmill.