After a good work-out or a nice long walk it is refreshing to take a drink of cold water! Water sustains life. In fact, we can live for quite a while without food, but not very long at all without water. Recently we heard the news of water contamination in Japan. The government is telling the people of Japan not to panic and buy bottled water, but how can they not? The thought of not having water ~ or not having safe water ~ is terrifying.

And it is in this terror that we find the people of Israel this Sunday. Our Old Testament lesson is Exodus 17:1-7. Moses becomes so concerned about the people's demand for water that he is afraid for his own life. And what does God do? God provides the people with the water that they need.

These days, and in our part of the world, we often have more than enough water than we need, but that does not mean that we do not thirst. What is it that you thirst for? Where in your life do you feel dry and parched? What is lacking in your life? What complains or grumblings do you lift to God? And where have you experienced God's gift of living water lately?