God's gift of water

Originally published in the Coconut Wireless, May 4, 2022.

Since my last column, we celebrated Easter and Earth Day! I love it when these two life-giving celebrations happen close together. They remind us that we live in a world of miracles and wonder. This year both my Easter and Earth Day centered on God's gift of water.

God called me to the gift of water over and over these last few months. I was invited to offer the reflection at the Hawai'i Island Association Mokupuni, and the theme that ran through the lectionary for that week was Waters of Living-Life from Isaiah 55 and Psalm 63 so that is what I shared. A few days later, I participated in "Prayers for Kapūkakī" on World Water Day as leaders, myself included, led sessions for this prayer vigil. After that, it seemed that every time I opened my news feed it was water, water, water. The State recommended the full restoration of Moloka'i's Kawela Stream for the first time in 100 years, the Navy planned to close Kapūkakī, and Hokule'a and Hikianalia set sail for Tahiti for an Ocean conference.

We need to take time to consider this gift from God: to express our gratitude for both kai and wai and to embrace our kuleana to protect these gifts. I invite you to join a Zoom Bible Study on Meric Srokosz and Rebecca Waterson's Blue Planet, Blue God: The Bible and the Sea, and I encourage everyone to sit by our waters and thank God. God is good! Let us give thanks!

Jonathan Roach, Associate Conference Minister