Ash Wednesday, February 21

SCRIPTURE:     II Kings 2:21  

             21 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.' "

            This miracle is attributed to the prophet Elisha, in Jericho shortly after he witnessed his mentor, Elijah ascending into heaven on a whirlwind.  The people of Jericho told Elisha that “the location of the city is good, but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.”

            Clean water…as important and urgent an issue today as it was so many generations ago.  In the world God created, the waters were pure. 

            As the ages wear on, we use (and abuse) the resources God provides for us to the extent that, locally, the untreated waters are unsafe for swimming and fishing.  Today it is very common for sewage to pour into our creeks, rivers and lakes. Yes, the very waters we use for recreation, bathing and drinking.

            Each of us can work to accomplish the miracle of clean water in our community.  In the short-term, we can combat water pollution by not over-fertilizing our lawns and by reducing our use of pesticides.  We can clean up trash in our yards and along creek corridors.  In the long-term, we can encourage our elected officials to work together to solve the problem of storm water runoff which overflows into our sanitary sewer system, creating the direct discharge of sewage into our creeks, rivers and lakes.

            Let us each, in this season of Lent, make a commitment to work to protect and restore our fresh water supply.  Let us work to again make our waters wholesome and bring honor that which God has provided.

PRAYER: Thank you, Lord, for the gift of life-giving water. Give us the wisdom and courage to protect and restore our waterways. We ask your blessing in this endeavor. 

                                                                        Amen.

Please say a prayer for my Pastor whenever you read this, he's just taken a position as head Pastor of a new church and his mother passed away this past Saturday at midnight.... the night before his first Sunday in the new church. Pastor still continues to minister, even in his own time of need... through his own time of need. He truly is a servant of God. He truly is the salt of the earth thrown into the sea of life... sne to heal the sea of humanity that he serves... Happy Lent everyone~ may you have the peace you seek in your own life today.