Sunday Sermon - 9 August

There are two words that jump out at me from today’s readings. It’s interesting how often these words show up in our services each week. The first one appears in our readings, prayers or hymns just about every single Sunday, and often many times. In fact, as I was sitting in my pew one Sunday I tried to count up the number of times it occurred in the service, and I ran out of fingers!

That word is ‘water’.

Isn’t water an awesome substance? I’m not a scientific person so I’m not going to even try to talk about its amazing chemical make-up or use highly technical terms like photosynthesis or evaporation. Even the sight, sound, taste, touch and smell of water are amazing. Think about the incredible way it changes shape, form and texture in different temperatures. Those same little droplets that fall from above on summer days and join together to form puddles, rivers and lakes are the same substance that turns into ice in my freezer, and fields of white stuff we can toboggan on in the winter. When you put them in a kettle the next thing you know, they turn into wet, cloudy vapour (I told you I wasn’t scientific).

Water is mentioned many many times throughout the Bible. It appears over and over again, right from the creation story in Genesis. Water is also used metaphorically in both the Old and New Testaments to describe something intangible. It was used by Jesus to cleanse his disciples’ feet as He illustrated humility and love. Water is also used in the act of baptism.

Jesus spoke about how meaningful it was to give even a cup of water to someone. He encouraged others to come to Him and drink to receive “living water”.  There are an amazing number of times water is mentioned throughout the Bible. One of my personal favourite illustrations occurs in Isaiah 55, when the word of God itself is likened to rain that waters the earth and penetrates so deeply that it causes things to bud and flourish. It “accomplishes the purpose for which it was sent”. God’s word to us. What an awesome thought!

Throughout the Bible we also read how God not only used water, He even overpowered it from time to time! He predicted when there would be a flood for Noah, and when there would be a drought and famine when Joseph was in Egypt. We read that He somehow parted it at the Red Sea, and today in our Gospel reading we discover that Jesus even walked on it!

We can’t live without water. It’s critical to our survival and so very precious. Yet something else that intrigues me about water is how it can have both a positive and a negative effect in our lives, depending on the circumstances. There’s a pretty big difference between listening to the delightful sound of a lovely babbling brook, as it gurgles and splashes along, and the drip, drip, drip (faster and faster) in your basement as water leaks through a foundation wall. I’d sure rather take a big breath of the lovely fresh air when the ground is soaked after a gentle rainfall, than to have to take even a tiny sniff beside a stagnant, polluted pond.

On a larger scale, water offers us not only pleasure but life itself, and yet it can cause terror and total destruction. Not enough of it brings drought and death but too much of it overwhelms and kills with floods and tsunamis. We travel on the water in boats and we swim and play in it but if we are not careful, we can drown in it. Even on the same day, the same water can be either positive or negative depending on our circumstances. A farmer may be  rejoicing when a lovely rain comes and waters his crops but the bride and groom at a neighbouring outdoor wedding venue may not be so pleased! Even within our own bodies, water can be fascinating. Tears themselves can be a sign of sorrow or joy. Even tears of sorrow are sometimes a gift. How often have we heard someone say, “I just needed a good cry” ? 

We can see this potential for the way water can bring both good or harm in today’s readings. In the New Testament story this is fairly obvious. The water in the Lake of Galilee provided a convenient way for Jesus and the disciples to travel. They went safely by boat to the far side. But when the wind came up, the boat became harder to manage and the conditions became a little more dangerous. Jesus, amazingly, could walk on the water, but Peter could only begin to do so, and he started to sink. When that happened, the water was no longer a safe place for him and he needed to be rescued from it. 

The Old Testament story had only one brief mention of the word water but including it illustrates once again its importance. We are told that Joseph’s brothers ‘took him and threw him into the cistern’ and that “The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.” I have to admit, I am not entirely sure I understand the significance. It might mean that this made things better for Joseph because if there was no water in the cistern he was not being tossed into a place where he would quickly drown. In that case, if water was there it would be deadly. On the other hand, if there was no water there he would only have a very short time to live before he would die of thirst. In that case, if water was there, it would be life-giving. The meaning would probably have been much more obvious to people who lived at the time and in that place but, no matter what, the fact that there was no water in the cistern was important enough to be mentioned. It made a difference.

It makes me wonder if there are other things that come into our lives – not just water – that can be either positive or negative depending on the time, the circumstances, our choices, God’s gracious intent, or maybe even someone’s evil behavior. We may not always be able to predict when they will happen or if they will be enjoyable or difficult. A family gathering that was supposed to be a lot of fun, can go wrong while a scary job interview just might go surprisingly well and be the beginning of a wonderful new life journey. 

That leads me to the second word that jumped out at me from today’s readings - seek. 

This word may not appear in our readings as often as the word water but it does show up quite frequently and I believe that’s because it’s an important, underlying theme throughout the Bible. Over and over again we read that people are encouraged to seek God. We read it in today’s Psalm:

Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.

It’s amazing really when you think about it. God wants us to seek Him. He wants to interact with us! 

The very first story in the Bible describes how God came to the Garden of Eden to be right with Adam and Eve and the Old Testament is full of stories about how He chose to speak with people. The example of Jesus Himself in the New Testament is even more amazing. Jesus Himself came in person, He promises to come again and He showed His desire to be with people when He said to His disciples that He would take them to Himself when He came again, saying: “so that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:3)

As Jesus lived out His life in human form, He Himself often sought His heavenly Father. He went to be in His Father’s house as a child. He spent days alone with God in the wilderness. He often went to a quiet place to pray.

So is there a way that the words ‘water’ and ‘seek’ fit together somehow? I think there is.

As I mentioned, I suspect there are many things in our lives (besides water) that can have either a positive or a negative effect. That’s where we need God’s help. In the uncertainty of our lives, we often need to seek God. He is the one who can interpret what is happening in our lives, and He knows exactly what we need to hear in all circumstances. 

Jesus illustrated this. He said different things at different times and places, but it was always exactly what the person needed to hear. He told one person to follow Him, and yet He told another to go home and look after his family and affairs. 

In today’s reading, He told Peter to come to Him on the water but, when Peter started to sink, He began to talk to him about faith.  “You of little faith,” He said. “Why did you doubt?”

Maybe Jesus was reprimanding Peter, maybe He was giving him a profound life lesson about faith or maybe He was just teasing him. We can’t know for sure - we don’t have a record of His tone of voice as He spoke - but one thing we do know is that Jesus knew exactly what Peter needed to hear in that moment and He was willing to say it to him, as He reached out and caught him.

I believe the same is true for us today. God still wants us to seek Him so He can guide us through all of the waters (the circumstances) of our lives with wisdom and care. He remains willing to speak and what He has to say is always appropriate. Sometimes He may want to offer us advice. Another time He may want to point out that there is someone we need to forgive, or an act we need to repent. You know what? I bet there are even times when our loving Father might simply want to assure us that all is well, that we are actually safe and loved.   

So now when I pray I don’t expect that I should totally understand everything that’s going on in the waters of my life or decide what I, or somebody else, might need or should do. Instead, I ask that each of us may be deliberate about seeking our Father’s perspective and wisdom. I ask, “Father, what would You say to this person [or to myself] about this specific situation [the ‘waters’ of our lives] right now?” Then I try to remember to seek, to look, to listen, and to keep a lookout throughout the day so I can be aware of what He might be saying, whether that’s through a thought, a part of nature, someone’s seemingly random comment, or any number of unimaginable ways. Sometimes we might find that He will send us someone or something to help us or we may find that we have been put in a position to help someone else (Simon and Garfunkel said it so beautifully in their lovely song, Bridge Over troubled Water. didn’t they?) 

I will be honest. I don’t often ‘hear’ a clear voice with easy to follow directions but I can still trust God’s love and care, knowing that He wants me to seek Him and be guided by Him. He understands my circumstances so much better than I do. He knows exactly what each of us needs and He is greater than any of the waters of our lives that may surround us. 

Even if I don’t hear a clear word of guidance when I choose to seek Him, I often find that I become aware of His presence and there is no comfort greater than that because He is able to do more than any of us can ask or imagine.

Prayer:

Thank you Father, for the waters (the circumstances) that may come into our lives this day. We seek You and Your insight in how to respond to them – with preparation against their possible harm, gratitude for their life-giving assistance, or maybe to simply enjoy their sound, sight, taste, touch and smell. Thank You that You know, care and even seek out my seeking. You want to be in communication with me about them and that thought makes me want to cry tears of joy, gratitude and amazement. We seek You this day, Father, and when we find You and hear the guidance You wisely and lovingly give may we all choose to follow it.

Amen.