Water is life
Sustainable Development Goal 6 – Clean Water & Sanitation
Cultures around the world view water with a sacred respect. It is known for its life giving and cleansing abilities. Little wonder then that Jesus promises to “give freely from the springs of the water of life” (Revelation 21:6) to all who are thirsty. In his gospel, John clarifies that the living water Jesus offers refers to the Spirit of God (John 7:39), but the association with physical water should not be dismissed.
Without clean water there can be no life (Exodus 17:3). The free provision of abundant water is a sign of the shalom goodness of the reign of God (Deuteronomy 8:7, Psalm 65:9, Isaiah 55:1, Ezekiel 47:9, Revelation 22:1-2). Access to clean water is an inalienable right under God for all humans (Matthew 5:45), it should not be denied, and it should not be commoditized and sold unjustly.
Similarly, the provision of hygienic disposal of waste. It is for good reason that unholy sites in Scripture were used as places to discard waste (e.g. 2 Kings 10:27). Gehenna (the valley of Hinnom) outside of Jerusalem was one such place (often translated “hell” as in Matthew 5:22,29-30 and 10:28). Once the site of perpetual child sacrifice by burning, the valley became the rubbish dump of the city, synonymous with the destiny of the wicked. “Cleanliness is next to godliness” (John Wesley) is a well-known saying, but the idea is associated with the purification rites of many religions, Biblical religious observance among them. We should not take modern sanitation conveniences for granted but work to make cleanliness possible for all.
What You Can Do?
Count how many times you used water during the day (whether it is to brush your teeth, wash the dishes, wash your hands, flush the toilet or even to drink). Share that number on social media and based on your number make a post about how important water is in our daily lives.
From “The Bible and Sustainable Development Goals”
https://wea-sc.org/en/biblesdgs