Friday 02 November 2007

Background

David wrote this psalm while he was hiding in the wilderness,seeking refuge from the heat of the sun and living in fear of thosewho were trying to kill him.

Have you ever been thirsty? Have you ever been so thirsty and therewas nowhere for you to get a drink? Can you remember what that feltlike? How long can I keep going? Will there be water soon? Wasthere desperation and what action did you then take?

If you haven't, can you imagine what it must be like to live in adry and dusty land, where there is no water?

The challenge from this psalm today is two fold:

• I desperately need water to survive, but do I as desperatelyseek my God? Do I regularly take time out of my busy schedule toreflect on God, and on the tasks God has laid before me this dayand on his presence and power within those tasks?

• I hold before me images of people who are living with shortageof water today and each day of their lives. Women who walk for overten kilometres to get one litre of water, and those who aresurrounded by water in countries that are flooded by monsoon rainsand storms.

To Ponder

I wonder what situation you find yourself intoday. Can you allow this psalm to speak to your needs? I inviteyou to re-read the psalm very slowly, meditating and reflecting oneach word or phrase that sticks in your mind. These could be God'swords to you today.

Is there anything you could do to support thosewho don't have access to clean water?