Sustaining Waters

Water abounds in our world and in our scriptures. Water is a symbol for life and renewal. The scriptures speak of those who thirst for righteousness and Christ is a living fount from which people may drink and thirst no more. God worked through Moses to part the Red Sea and lead the Hebrews to safety. We come to the baptismal font recognizing God’s abounding grace and proclaiming our faith. Water abounds as a source of life.

In the right quantity water is essential for life, yet too much or too little water can act as a force of destruction. The global community has been impacted by floods, tsunamis, hurricanes and cyclones where too much water has swamped and devastated communities. Drought and water privatization have also left many without the water they need for daily living. Together as Presbyterians seeking to live as global disciples, we can responsibly use our water resources and protect water supplies around the world.

This resource is aimed at assisting Christians to be good stewards of water. As such it is divided into three sections: Clean Waters, Abundant Waters and Recovery Waters. Clean Waters covers water stewardship and environmental concerns. By protecting and preserving water resources we presently have we can ensure clean, life-giving waters for future generations. Abundant Waters focuses on water privatization and the need to maintain public water supplies so that all may have access to safe, abundant water. Recovery Waters explores the water related disasters and the people affected by these disasters. Where too much water once brought destruction, Christians and their partners around the world may work with God to bring healing waters of recovery.

Clean Waters

After creating the heavens and the earth, God created waters and dry land. Water abounds in the world covering more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, yet only 2.5 percent exists as fresh water. Polluted waters poison environments and people, terminating rather than sustaining life. Embodying God’s call to care for all life, especially those who are the least among us, requires protecting fresh water supplies around the world. We are Christ’s hands and feet in this world and can glorify God through water preservation. [Read more]

Abundant Waters

All life requires water. God sustained the Hebrews on their long journey through the wilderness with morning dew and artesian wells from stone. Jesus encounters a Samaritan woman and asks her for water from the well. Without her sharing of water Jesus would have remained thirsty, yet with the water Jesus teaches about the Kingdom of God. Today water is abundant for some and scarce for others. Multinational corporations are moving toward privatizing water supplies, removing public control of water and threatening to turn water into a privately traded and managed commodity. Public water systems help ensure public access to water for all people while private water supplies may be sold to whoever can pay for water access at the present price. In caring for all people we are called to serve by maintaining access to basic commodities such as water. [Read more]

Recovery Waters

In Genesis 6-8 we read that God destroyed the world and nearly all life with catastrophic flooding. However, in this story, God also preserved life by instructing Noah to save two of every creature on the planet. After the disaster God sought to renew the Earth and restore life. God is present in the restoration of the world after disaster and we too are called to share in restoration efforts. In Christ’s earthly ministry the call to aid those in need is often repeated. Christians are called to care for those impacted by catastrophic events and to care for the world in a way that helps prevent further disasters. [Read more]