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| TWO PASSAGES FROM THE JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN TRADITIONS | |||
| Water is a well-used image in religious texts, to illustrate the gifts and generosity of the creator, to symbolize refreshment and renewal. These two passages that can be found in both the Jewish and Christian scriptures. They show how the writers, who lived many hundreds of years ago, recognized the importance of water in their lives and related it to their belief in God. | |||
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| WATER THE LIFE-GIVER | |||
| 'He
makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. They give water to all the beasts of the field; The wild donkeys quench their thirst. The birds of the air nest by the waters; They sing among the branches. He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; The earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work.' Psalm 104: 10.13 (NIV) This psalm praises God for every aspect of creation. It acknowledges the inter-relationship of all living things, irrespective of humans, and their relationship to their creator. |
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| MOSES FINDS WATER | |||
| 'The
whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sion, traveling from
place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Repidim, but there
was no water for the people to drink. So they quarreled with Moses and said
"Give us water to drink." Moses replied "Why do you quarrel with me? Why
do you put the Lord to the test?" But the people were thirsty for water
there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us
up out of Egypt to make us and our children and our livestock die of thirst?"
Then Moses cried out to the Lord, "What am I to do with these people? They
are almost ready to stone me." The Lord answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of
the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your
hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there
before you at the rock of Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out
of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders
of Israel.' Exodus 17:1-6 (NIV) This passage reminds us that the Bible was written by and for a people who knew the value of water. The desert was never far away and, even in the fertile lands which they fought to possess, the fear of drought was always present. Water could never be taken for granted. It was a gift, but not a gift in the sense of a frippery or toy - water made the difference between life and death. |
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