Oh, it's not that I didn't care - it's that I care a lot. And on a day-to-day basis, there wasn't much I could do about it. So watching the news coverage only made me stressed, mad and sad. I would check in on the situation about twice a month. Anymore than that and I started having nightmares.
Seriously, in June I dreamed I was surfing at our local beach when I noticed a rainbow-like sheen across the water. Followed by blackish splotches. Then as I raised my hand up from below the surface, it was covered in oil. I woke up breathing heavy, stressed. I really do worry about the status of our oceans and waterways - there's just been too much pollution.
A couple weeks ago I was talking to a competitive swimmer. She said she prefers to do open water ocean swims to swimming in pools, but that she gets sick a lot when swimming in the ocean. She wonders if it's a water quality issue. I hope not.
On Monday morning I was reading in the book of 2 Kings when I came across this passage in 2:19-22:
The men of the city said to Elisha, "Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive."
"Bring me a new bowl," he said, "and put salt in it." So they brought it to him.
Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, "This is what the LORD says: 'I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.' "And the water has remained wholesome to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.
And so I decided to pray for God to heal our waters. Care to join me?
Lord God, forgive us for the many ways we have failed to be good stewards of the earth you created and placed us in. Help us to change our ways - to care about your creation and not just our own plans or prosperity. Lord, I pray we have not already done some irreparable harm. Please, Lord, heal our waters through our prayers, just as You healed that spring through Elisha. In Jesus' Name.
Thankful for a God who heals where we hurt.
Beautiful. I love how He showed you that scripture. Praying along with you.
ReplyDeleteA great scripture you found. I'm afraid I'm like you, I have not prayed for God to heal our waters, but I will start praying along with you. There is nothing too great for Him.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, AE
Hi Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI belong to a group of intercessors who have been praying that specific scripture over the Gulf. We believe God is already moving, because for several weeks it's been reported that they simply cannot find all that oil. I've included the link below:
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/bp-oil-spill-crude-mother-nature-breaks-slick/story?id=11254252
Rachel, Thank you for causing me to think of prayer for this situation in an entirely different situation. Lynn
ReplyDeleteAmen! The oil spill had so many negative implications and I'm praying as well that God will heal our waters and bring peace and comfort to those that lost family members and their livelihood in the process.
ReplyDeleteI love this, Rachel! Of course that is the answer! Thank you so much for sharing this word of wisdom. Wish we could broadcast it on the news.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Cheri