By Susan Oxley of Seattle, Washington, USA

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

The day was coming to an end, and I was feeling good about the successful completion of a number of projects. Everything had gone well. So why was I developing a headache, fuzzy in my thinking, feel poorly? Had I eaten something that didn’t agree with me? No, I had eaten light, healthy food.

Then I realized I had been too busy to stop and drink any water. With decreased water, there’s decreased fluid to carry oxygen to the brain. Thought processes slow down. Water is vital to the overall health of every system. Without water, the human body soon begins to shut down. You can live without food for a few weeks. You can live without water for only a few days. But the solution is so simple: clean, fresh water. I drank a large glass of water. Within an hour, my headache was gone, and I was feeling great.

I’m very blessed. I live in a part of the world where clean water is easily accessible, pollutants are filtered out, and poor sanitation doesn’t contaminate the water system with disease. There are many people who are not so fortunate. Simply obtaining water of any kind can require trudging to a distant river and carrying it back in jugs. Often there are no resources for purifying the water. Sanitation practices add to the dangers of drinking from polluted streams or ponds.

One of our Mission Initiatives is to Abolish Poverty, End Needless Suffering. The UN has declared March 22 World Water Day to bring attention to the needs of people without access to clean water and good sanitation. We can help by supporting organizations like Outreach International and World Accord that are assisting people to obtain clean, pure drinking water. We can stand up for the people who live near factories that pollute their water systems. We can advocate for good sanitation systems, monitored and managed equitably for the good of all people, not just some.

Each time you drink a glass of pure water, recommit to making a difference in the life of someone else. Let’s make clean, clear water available for all.

Prayer Phrase

“…I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Spiritual Practice

Open Hands

Stand or sit with your hands extended in front of you. Prayerfully ponder all that you hold in your hands that make you feel too full, busy, drained, or closed. Spread your hands up and apart to release these burdens; then hold them open and empty them again. Thank God for relationships that fill and feed your spirit. Pray for a generous heart and open hands that reach out to make room for all in the circle of Christ’s community.

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.