Have you ever wondered about what the James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, and Madagascar 2 have in common?
Probably not – so let me enlighten you…
On flights to UK this week I discovered a more limited choice of movies and so these two received a re-run. And in both films the ‘baddie’ is doing the same thing: keeping control of the water supply so that others are deprived of it. [NB – studying what the bad guys are doing in Bond films over 40 years provides an insightful social commentary on the good vs evil power struggles in our world over that period!].
The point being that water is becoming precious. Over the next generation wars will be fought over the rights to water supplies (you could argue that those wars have started). And here am I sitting in Wales where I haven’t seen the sun all week. And I come from New Zealand where complaints about the rain and escaping from the rain are habitual human activities.
What do we make of this?
I am repenting. In light of the fact that water is so precious around the world my view of rain is changing. I am now deliberately training myself to be thankful when it rains. I bring to mind those who would be dancing in that rain and I pray that it might be so for them – and by doing so I put the inconvenience of rain into perspective. To moan about the rain says something about the lives we live and their relative comfort and luxury. I am going to try not to moan anymore (even when it interrupts a cricket game that NZ might win!).
Last month I drove with my son from Melbourne to Sydney. Just as we were enjoying the death-place of Ned Kelly and then the birth-place of Don Bradman, the Hume Highway was closing behind us as Victoria got hit by Australia’s worst ever peace-time natural disaster … basically because of the lack of rain. And then some of the most serious areas of global poverty are directly related to a lack of moisture.
When all is said and done the Welsh and the Kiwi should be grateful that they live in a green and verdant land. Sure – floods are not much fun either, but the plusses of living in a country with a plentiful water supply far outweigh the minuses.
We should be more content.
nice chatting
Paul
About Me
the art of unpacking
After a childhood in India, a theological training in the USA and a pastoral ministry in Southland (New Zealand), I spent twenty years in theological education in New Zealand — first at Laidlaw College and then at Carey Baptist College, where I served as principal. In 2009 I began working with Langham Partnership and since 2013 I have been the Programme Director (Langham Preaching). Through it all I've cherished the experience of the 'gracious hand of God upon me' and I've relished the opportunity to 'unpack', or exegete, all that I encounter in my walk through life with Jesus.
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Agreed. We are on tank supply for drinking water so I am always ‘dancing in the rain’ knowing that it costs for too much money to get water trucked in! Plus on three occasions in the last 8 years we have actually run out of water for more than a day or two, it certainly makes you appreciate the rain a whole lot more!
I remember reading or hearing something about weather forecasts and how the attitude towards rain has changed over the years from being an appreciation of its vital agricultural and economic benefits through to it now being a ‘pain in the butt because we are trying to get away to the beach for the weekend… gosh!!”
I am still struck by the 2005(?) Tranzsend self denial appeal called “Water for Life” which highlighted the importance of water in our world both as a flowing substance and as a spiritual food from Christ. I was particularly struck that in a country like NZ with very drinkable and plentiful tap water we are buying more and more bottled water at rates higher per litre than that of petrol! Crazy!
OK. Stop. 🙂
Sam.
Hey Sam
Thinking and praying for you this weekend. The sun has dawned in Wales this morning as I write in a little room in the building where John Stott wrote all his books. How cool is that?!
Yes, the ‘spiritual food’ with John 4 coming to mind is a good one. The other insight is that because water is so plentiful in NZ we do not really appreciate the “thirsting” for God imagery in the OT, particularly the Psalms. In a parched and dusty land to thirst for God is saying something!
As another on tank supply I too understand the value of water. Once it comes via several filters it is relatively pure and unlike town water isn’t full of chemicals like chlorine. In John 4 the well was known as being one where the water was pure and very good to drink.
For many years Lion Red’s slogan was “the measure of a man’s thirst” Jesus truly overwhelms that assertion in this passage – earthly water of all kinds will never quench thirst, people will become thirsty again.
The Samaritan woman went through stages of comprehension in this passage, from a point of Ridicule to Recognition of Truth, Repentance,Refreshment, Redemption, to Retelling what she had heard.
Will the dry bones begin to live in 2009? I think John 4 and Isaiah 55 are two passages that call us to a place of needing to acknowledge our spiritual poverty and perhaps go through similar stages as the Samaritian Woman.
We