SENTINEL WATCH October 4, 2010 Issue

CONTAMINATED WATERS AND PRAYER'S PURIFYING EFFECT

KATHERINE LEECH

ALTHOUGH THE FLOW OF OIL from the Deepwater Horizon well into the Gulf of Mexico has been stopped, environmental concerns surrounding the spill continue to make the news. For example, even as the oil is being broken down by natural processes, underwater plumes and droplets are reported to be creeping toward the state of Florida, where I live. It can seem daunting to try to maintain the integrity of our water, as it often seems so vulnerable to contamination. And even though water pollution doesn't always occur on a national level, as it has in the Gulf, smaller-scale pollution is still a concern for many.

In my prayers about the issue of pollution, I've thought about a Bible verse that talks about God's abundant resources: "O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches" (Ps. 104:24). By bearing witness to this spiritual abundance, the prayers of each one of us can play a powerful role in revealing solutions to the issue of pollution.

I have a wonderful friend who saw the effect of her thinking on a problem of water pollution. She and another friend decided to open up a tearoom. They found a property they liked and made an offer, contingent on the well water being of acceptable quality for a restaurant. Everything looked good until results of the water test came back, showing that the water was polluted. They were given instructions on how to clear up this problem, and though they followed these instructions carefully more than once, subsequent water tests came up with almost identical results: The well was still polluted.

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