Summer Mindfulness with God’s Gift of Water

Summer vacation is in full swing for most families with school ending and warmer temperatures dominating the weather. For most, summer fun involves water of some kind, whether pools, sprinklers, oceans, lakes or rivers, water plays a big part in summer refreshment. Water is one of the most powerful gifts of creation. Join me this week for summer mindfulness with God’s gift of water!

Welcome to Mindfulness Monday! Where we learn some easy ways to be more present “in the moment” at our jobs, in our homes, with our families and friends.

Learning to recognize God and what He has for us in each divine moment He offers. We acknowledge the belief that God is with us always.

We confess His presence is available to us, lifting our spirit and helping us with power and grace. Learning the art of “stillness” so we can hear His voice and view ourselves, others and our surroundings through His eyes.

consider god’s gift of water

The Bible mentions “water” approximately 722 times, depending on which version you use. Yes, more often than the words, faith, hope, prayer or worship! In fact water’s first mention appears in Genesis 1:2, the second verse of the Bible! An essential component for all of life, God created water on the first day of creation. At the very end of the Bible, almost the very last words, the “free gift of water” is mentioned again in Revelation 22:17. We find water flowing through all of scripture pointing us to its significance both spiritually and physically.

Water, then, is the most beautiful element and rich in usefulness, and purifies from all filth, and not only from the filth of the body but from that of the soul, if it should have received the grace of the Spirit.

St. John Damascene

God thrills us with stories of water’s healing power, as we read about Naaman’s leprosy healed in the Jordan River in 2 Kings 5:1-14 and the paralytic in the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem. (John 5:1-9) Water purifies and provides cleansing. God also used water as a tool, destroying evil and delivering His people as in Noah and the Flood (Genesis 6:17) and the Israelites flight from Egypt. (Exodus 14:1-15:21)Perhaps the greatest use of water in God’s creation lays within the human body. Almost 70% of the human body consists of water: water is crucial for blood circulation, and 85% of the adult brain consists of water! Why not pause for some summer mindfulness with God’s gift of water, reflecting on this unique component of creation?

the uniqueness of god’s gift of water

Water is unlike any other substance on earth; required for life by every living thing, it breaks every rule of chemistry and matter. Ready for a science lesson?

• There is no “new water”. All of the water on earth is the same water God placed here in the beginning. Water is constantly moving and recycling throughout and within the earth. Water evaporates into the air condenses back on the earth through dew, frost and precipitation. Water does not reproduce!
• Water defies the rules of chemistry. It contains only two elements: hydrogen and oxygen, both lighter than air. By the rules of chemistry, liquid water cannot exist other than as water vapor.
• Water is the only chemical that expands when frozen. Solid water has less density than liquid water, which is why ice floats! This in turn insulates the water under the ice. Scientists speculate without that unique property, life could not survive the ice ages, nor would aquatic creatures survive frozen winters.
• Water molecules stick so tightly together, they defy gravity. In biology we call this “capillary” action. Capillary action allows plants to move water from their roots outward towards their leaves. It is also the mechanism allowing oxygen and nutrients to reach the outer areas of our brains!
• Water is the second most common element in the universe. Scientists discovered water on every planet in our solar system.
• Water is a universal solvent. Water dissolves most chemicals and breaks many chemical bonds, making it one of the most reactive elements known to man.
• Water has a memory! In a biophysics faculty article for Science News from October 2018, Scientists reported what they call, “the discovery of the millenium”. Through a series of experiments they showed water retained images submerged within it, which in turn altered the structure of the water. Scientist Masaru Emoto further submits water remembers emotions.

Water is the driving force of nature

Leonardo DaVinci

only god creates water

Since water’s composition is a simple formula of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, its replication in the lab by scientists should be relatively easy, resolving the growing need for clean water worldwide, right? Wrong. Water cannot be “created” by mankind. Having the presence of hydrogen and oxygen atoms merely creates a group of hydrogen and oxygen atoms. For water to form, the orbits of each atom’s electrons must link. The only way this takes place is through an explosion. Creating any significant amount of water requires an explosion too large to make lab created water plausible.

summer mindfulness with god’s gift of water

Absorbing all the incredible attributes of water points to a Divine Creator’s thoughtful plan for His creation. Reflecting on the intrinsic value of water for every facet of our lives and being fills me with awe, wonder and gratitude. Come with me and experience summer mindulness with God’s gift of water!

water through the five senses

Water provides opportunities for us to mindfully appreciate God’s gift of water through all five senses. Try one or all of these at least once this summer.

Listening

Listening to a rippling stream is one of the most requested sound tracks for relaxing, second to the sound of the ocean waves. Take time to create water listening experiences; a sound track is fine, but listening “in person” provides a powerful mindful experience.

• Choose various locations from a rippling stream, waterfall, rainfall to ocean waves. Compare the different sounds of water from a backyard pond waterfall to the sounds of a rushing river and your shower.
  • What do you hear?
  • What emotions do you notice?
  • How does God speak to you though the sounds of water?

And I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory.

Ezekiel 43:2

Smelling

God created the divine gift of fragrance; revealing Himself to us through the complex fragrances of nature. Water is no exception! Tune your awareness to the variety of scents water possesses.

• Again, choose varied locations, or simply bring your awareness to water’s fragrance as you happen to spend time near by. Lakes, rivers, ponds all have distinct smells compared to the ocean, a backyard pool or the shower!
  • What do you smell?
  • Are some smells pleasant or unpleasant?
  • What is your favorite water scent?

Seeing

Observing water features provokes emotion as well as settling emotions. Watching water mesmerizes the mind while it delights the eyes. As you encounter water in all of its forms, draw your full attention to what you see.

• Compare your observations of each water feature you encounter; what makes each unique? Notice the change of emotion between a peaceful lake and crashing waves. Or a quiet backyard pond waterfall and a large mountain waterfall.
  • What do you see? Ripples, rainbows in the waterfall, foamy waves, droplets. Color? Depth?
  • What emotions arise? How do they differ with the intensity of the water?
  • What attributes of God are reflected in the water?

Tasting

Even though the components of water remain the same; two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, many factors affect the taste of water. Draw your attention to the nuances of water’s taste.

• Enjoy flavoring your drinking water with natural flavors of fruits and vegetables. Do you like it better flavored or “natural”? If you swim in a pool, a lake, pond, river or the ocean, how do the tastes differ?
  • What do you taste?
  • Which tastes are pleasant, unpleasant?
  • What feels better in your mouth, cold water, warm water or hot water?

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

John 4:14

Touching

Touching water like drinking water, is something we do multiple times each day. But how often do we truly feel water? Make time to feel water this week.

• Linger as you wash your hands or the dishes; feel the water temperature and consistency. Notice how it moves across your hands or the dishes. Feel the water caress your body in the shower or better, a hot bath. How is it different from swimming in the ocean, a lake or a pool?
  • What do you feel? Do you feel temperature? Do you feel the wetness?
  • What properties of water do you notice? How does it flow, drip or splash?
  • What emotions do you feel when immersed in water?

God’s gift of living water

Enjoying each encounter of summer mindfulness with God’s gift of water, may you experience more appreciation for the magnificence of this gift and all God reveals about Himself through it. Truly take time allowing God to teach you about the wonders of water!

The greatest of all its wonders pictures for us God as the fountain of living water. (Jeremiah 17:13) Jesus reminded His hearers twice in the Gospel of John, (John 4:14, John 7:37-39) to come to Him for that living water so they never need thirst again. The living water of the Holy Spirit washes us through regeneration making us new creatures! (Titus 3:4-7) May all the ways you experience water; daily, weekly, in pleasure and necessity move you to a greater treasuring of God’s magnificent gift of water.

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

Revelation 22:1-2

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