Water is life

‘L’eau, c’est la vie’. You often hear this phrase uttered in West Africa. It translates, 'water is life'. Although the expression is self-explanatory, it has even more meaning when you consider the 40-plus degree daytime temperatures and harsh surrounds of this arid Sahel region.

As a Sydney city-dweller, I’d never spent much time considering the attributes of this most precious liquid, as it was just always there. I think Australian farmers 'get it', as do residents of West Africa. It's so important, we even have a couple of missionary friends here who dedicate their lives to locating and drilling for water, so that others may drink.

As if the life-giving attributes of water were not enough, I’ve found it to be a great curing agent. A couple of months ago I awoke from an uncomfortable sleep with an itching sensation on my back. I went to the mirror and lifted my shirt to find my back was covered in huge, red welts (caused by some insect of sorts).

I quickly consulted a medical resource specialising in self-treatment, designed to aid those in isolated locations where there isn’t an abundance of medical supplies. Under the section for welts, it simply recommended running cold water over the affected area. After 15 minutes in a cold shower, my back was almost back to normal. I appreciated water that day.

And, we've found that flushing you body with water will eventually cure just about any stomach bug, even if they are severe. Water is one God-given gift I am very grateful for. Yet, despite all these amazing qualities, I recently contemplated its deficiencies. Namely, it takes about 15 minutes in the African sun for the thirst quenching attributes of water to wear off… then you are thirsty again.

As I pondered this, I thought of the conversation between Jesus and a woman drawing water from a well in John, chapter 4. I can picture Jesus standing over a well under the hot Middle Eastern sun, telling the woman that ‘everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again.’ (Isn’t that the truth, and didn’t the woman know it!) Jesus then adds, ‘…but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.’

Now that is some water worth thirsting after.

Jon