WATERING HOLE

At the tiptop of the coconut palm trees out back, squirrels build their nests down in the fronds. One morning I watched one of the squirrels scramble down the palm tree trunk, and make its way over to the wood deck in the back yard. On the decking, there used to be a defunct jacuzzi under an old canvas. The covering was so worn and stretched it had pockets where rain would pool. Around dusk most days, both doves and squirrels would come to this place on the deck, their watering hole.

Winter that year had been delightfully sunny, cool, and clear. However, it had been dry with less than average rainfall, so the watering hole was slim pickings. This particular morning, as the little squirrel approached, he peered into what was a pitiful tiny bit of a pool. He bent over and drank what he could, then left, perhaps in search of water in some other spot.

In our country we are fortunate to usually be able to access water in our homes. Occasions such as hurricanes, water mains bursting and bacteria entering, have all brought to my attention how precious drinking water becomes and how it can’t be taken for granted.

We can live without food, but not without water. Jesus said we can have ‘living water’ (John 4). Spiritually speaking, we can’t live without that kind of water either. How fortunate we are to have free access to that ‘water’, the gift of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ.

Yes, I am grateful for the unmatchable gift of this wonderful watering hole of living water that our loving heavenly father has provided for all of us.

And yes, that is good news.

…..Sally Kennedy (irishthursdays@bellsouth.net) by way of “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)