Thinking water in mission

(originally appeared in Thinking mission, July 2001)

Teresa Okure SHCJ from Nigeria, uses the vivid images of 'currents' and reminds us that this elemt of water flows all round the globe as a unfying force.

Pause for a moment and recall freely your own personal experience and contact with water: its types (rainwater, sea, pipe-borne, well, tap, river, ocean, fountain water, lakes, reservoirs, the oasis in the desert) and usages.  You cannot go through the day without needing  water in one form or another; for drinking, washing, cooking, watering the lawn. 

For some countries, like Britain and Ireland, water forms a natural, undisputed boundary different from itnernal, often disputed boundaries.  Water features in such occupations as fishing and sailing.  It is needed for operating cars and other locomotives.  Many of God’s beautiful creatures live in and can only survive in water as their natural habitat.  Water also features in many novels and legends such as The Lady of the Water and Lady Precious Stream.  It functions in the medical profession as therapy and base for a number of medicines.

On the spiritual level there are many beloved biblical passages which draw our attention to the importance of water.  ‘Oh you who are thirsty, come to the waters’ (Isaiah 55.1-2); ‘With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation’ (Isaiah 12.3), and major events that happened in water. 

‘Moses’ means drawn from water (Exodus 2.10).  He later became God’s instrument in rescuing Israel from drowing on the Red Sea (Exodus 14.15-31). 

Elijah on Mount Carmel proved to the Israelites that as water could not prevent God’s fire from consuming wood soaked and drenched in it, niether could Baal be considered stronger than Yahweh who deserved their full allegiance (I Kings 18.20-40)...

Add your comments to this article

Please note that comments will be checked by a moderator before being made public.

Submitted comments