When God began to create the heavens and the earth,
the earth was complete chaos,
and darkness covered the face of the deep,
while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.
– Genesis 1: 1-2
Water is part of the story
of the very beginning of everything,
at the creation of the world.
Water is part of the story
of the very beginning of each one of us,
at the time of birth.
Water is part of the story
of the very beginning of Jesus’s ministry,
at the time of his baptism by John,
when God spoke loving and encouraging words over him:
“You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1: 11)
Remember that water –
this humble substance
bubbling up quietly from the earth,
falling steadily from the sky,
flowing powerfully between steep banks,
shimmering deep and still in the moonlight –
is a part of our bodies
and part of our life’s story.
It was here before us
and will be here,
quenching and cleansing,
long after we are a blessed memory.
By water and the Spirit,
may we be made whole and set free
to be God’s extravagant,
far-reaching,
ever-flowing love
in this hurting, beautiful world.
Lindy Thompson 