Daily Reading: 19 July

(from www.christianaid.org.uk)

Precious

Something to read

David said longingly, “O that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!”  Then the Three broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and they brought it to David. But David would not drink of it; he poured it out to the Lord

- 1 Chron 11:18, 19.

Something to think about

Paradoxes can leave us with such powerful messages. A king wants water more than anything, and when it arrives he pours it out as an offering rather than drinking it.

Clean water is one of the most critical commodities on our planet. People fight and kill for a well.  This is why much of the work we do is aimed at providing clean, accessible and sustainable drinking water.

And we do this in the face of peace and conflict because, like David, we know there's only one thing more precious than clean water: the dignity and sanctity of human life.

Something to do

Read about our our work in improving resilience. Ask whether there's more you might be able to do, in prayer or in giving.

Something to pray

God, our water and source of life, we ask you to remember those who thirst today. 

And we ask for solutions which provide peaceful and progressive access to clean water.

Amen.

Today's contributor is the late Rev Joel Edwards.

Joel was a writer, broadcaster, coach and public speaker. He was over 30 years in Christian leadership as director of Micah Challenge, a global advocacy campaign, general director of the Evangelical Alliance UK, and a wide range of community engagements in church and government.

At time of writing Joel was an honorary canon at St Paul's Cathedral, and visiting fellow with St John's College Durham, where he was completing a doctoral programme.

We are so grateful to Joel for his friendship with Christian Aid and faithful service to God. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.