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Good morning.

I remember the first time I drank straight from the cool, peaty waters of a Scottish mountain stream – water straight from the earth; simple, unprocessed, free, a gift.

This month, many churches across the world are observing a season of creation, a time to reflect on the good earth in all its diversity and on the bountiful God who made it and sustains it. Today and in the coming week, I’m going to reflect on some words from Psalm 104, that great psalm of creation. It’s a psalm that’s particularly familiar to orthodox Christians, who pray it every time they celebrate Vespers. The Psalm begins by blessing God, by offering a great exclamation of praise.  Then many aspects of the creation are explored, lingering over details, delighting in everyday, miraculous things. Today, we think of water:

‘You make springs to gush forth in the valleys;
they flow in between the hills.
They give drink to all the beasts of the field;
the wild asses quench their thirst.’

Thinking again of that fresh mountain water, I now think also of those whose only water is polluted, scarce or costly. The contrast is stark and the challenge clear: if the good God created water to sustain us, how can we fail to make sure that none are denied that sustenance? Perhaps the first step is to give thanks for the gift and to recognise its giver so that we see water no longer as commodity, but – as St Francis sang – as a part of creation, a sister.

O Lord my God, how great you are,
causing water to flow from the hills in living streams.
Teach us so to treasure this gift
that generosity may well up in our hearts.  Amen.