Meandering - Water Footprints

“And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden.” Isaiah 58:11 

Hearing the grass crunch under my feet I thought how quickly things can dry out. We are so dependent upon consistent precipitation, especially our blessed farmers. Some areas in Canada are dealing with drought-like conditions. It was so good to hear the rain hitting the windows, saturating the earth, bringing much needed moisture to our area.

Have you heard of a ‘water footprint’? A water footprint is the amount of freshwater it takes to produce food items. It’s the volume of water used in the various steps of the production chain. It’s a concept used to calculate and compare the strain on water resources. A University in the Netherlands did a global study on this and published the water footprint of various food items. According to their research, in order to produce 1 kg (2.2 pounds) of tomatoes, it takes 180 litres of water, of cabbage, it takes 200 litres of water, of potatoes, it takes 250 litres of water, of apples, it takes 700 litres of water, of peaches, it takes 1200 litres of water. Apparently, for all you chocolate lovers out there, in order to produce the same amount (1 kg = 2.2 pounds), it takes 24,000 litres of water!

Obviously, we are dependent on vast amounts of freshwater for our produce. It all had me thinking about the spiritual parallels of this in our growing in Christlikeness. I know that it also takes great amounts of spiritual, living water to produce an abundance of sweet, fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It’s no wonder that Jesus adamantly invites us to come to him for living water (John 4:10-11). Daily, but especially in those times when your soul seems dry and parched, draw out from Christ his life-giving waters. Believe on him. Drink deeply of his love and grace, and out of your heart “will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). As each of us faithfully does this, we will reciprocally water and bless one another (Proverbs 11:25), and become a well-watered garden here in the Valley to the glory of God.

“Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the Lord have created it.” Isaiah 45:8

As that old hymn says, “There shall be showers of blessing, Precious reviving again; Over the hills and the valleys, Sound of abundance of rain… Mercy drops round us are falling, But for the showers we plead.”

Thanks for Meandering along (and pleading for revival rain) with me,
Pastor Daniel