Water and the Word: A River Flows

A river flows out of Eden to water the garden, and from there

it divides and becomes four branches. (Genesis 2:10)

We are, it seems,

a far piece from Eden,

where a flowing stream nourishes

what sounds like a pristine garden.

But we cannot wander away

from our basic need for water.

We also cannot shirk

our responsibility to do

what we can to see that

clean, safe water is available

for all God’s children.

Though we may not have access

to a divinely-infused shepherd’s staff

with which to command

life-giving water from a rock,

like Moses did in Numbers 20,

we are in possession of both

resources and technology sufficient

to effect the same miracle

in places near and far.

Let us, then join hearts and hands,

minds and missional energy,

to become saints of liquid life,

courageously and tenaciously

sharing hope one community at a time,

until all are sufficiently quenched.

© 2019 Todd Jenkins

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