The Sound of Water

 

This is one of my favorite spots, but it is a place I have not actually been. I only see this beautiful scene from a distance. It is located across the busy divided four lane street that runs past the front of my church. Over the years it has come to be a favorite, oddly enough, from times when I cannot see it at all.

When I arrive at the church on Sunday mornings, it is early and still dark. I park outside the back door of my office, unload everything for the day, then I move my truck to the parking spot farthest away from the buildings. On my walk back across the parking lot, it is oddly quiet. There is no traffic on this always busy street, and I hear the water.

It is a cool and refreshing sound that offers a bit of calm before a wonderfully busy day. Though it does not take me long to make my way back to my office, I have come to count on the gift of this fountain and pond that I have never visited. They are a part of my favorite day every week. The sound of the water is something of a prayer for starting the day.

One of the Biblical images that comes to my mind when I hear the water is from the powerful words of the prophet Amos, “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” The sound of the water calls me to live in ways that work toward justice. The sound of the water calls me to lead others to see our life together as a means through which God is continually at work to bring justice to all people. We have the privilege of being a part of what God is doing in the world for all the world. Each early morning I listen for the water.

Peace.