It's all about the water

The nomadic life for a pastoralist is about their animals and providing for the needs of their animals. And usually the chief concern is water.

In the Republic of Tuva, (southern Russia) there are tribes who herd camels. Their routes are basically repeated trips between various fresh water and mineral springs. At these springs water naturally comes up out of the rock, the source of what may trickle along to become a stream or river. This spring is a natural source. It's not stagnant sitting water like a pond or billabong, but fresh, flowing water. Sometimes basic plumbing will be added to direct the water for easy collection. Because of their essential nature these springs take on spiritual meanings and are decorated with scraps of fabric and often offerings of chocolates or ornaments are left behind. Both Buddhist and Shamanist rituals are carried out at the springs.

At these springs water naturally comes up out of the rock, the source of what may trickle along to become a stream or river. This spring is a natural source of not stagnant sitting water like a pond or billabong, but fresh, flowing water.

To nomadic people the ability to find and access water from these fresh springs is a life and death scenario.

If you look through the book of Genesis it is fascinating to note how many significant things happen at Old Testament natural springs. The Lord rescues Hagar beside a spring in the desert. Rebekah is found as a wife for Issac at a well, and more than one conflict was over control of a well. (Gen.26) These biblical wells are not a project like modern wells which are artificial access points to the water table below. These are built up managing systems of natural points of exit.

These natural well-springs are a metaphor for God's care for us throughout scripture:

Psalm 36:9 For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see.

Well meaning NGOs have many times spent great effort digging wells in the lands of the nomads. Without intention to be overly critical, and admitting my lack of understanding of underground water tables etc, I will be bold enough to say that these efforts have not been as overwhelmingly positive as one might think. You see, these new water spots disrupt traditional routes. Herds (and herdsmen) don't travel as far as they used to for water. Land gets overgrazed, herds are overcrowded which leads to disease. Oops. I understand that these wells also require a filtration system be installed, where natural springs naturally filter the water for immediate use.

Maybe there is just no imitating the real thing.

In John chapter 4 Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well. The same well, she adds, that Jacob built. In her need for water Jesus offers living water, the kind that if you drink it you will never thirst again. Instead it will become inside of you a fountain that will well up and overflow. That's a powerful metaphor! Jesus is our fresh spring; source of life. And he makes in us a well of living water. We become not the thirsty ones but the ones that give access to life-giving water!

Yesterday at a prayer meeting I heard an Egyptian man that believes this thirst is spreading across the Arab lands, these same lands that have been home to nomads for centuries. It's getting dryer, in a spiritual sense and in a physical one as if the two were directly connected. There is also a thirst among Muslim people groups for Jesus - the living water - like no one has ever seen in history. A great thirst. One that I believe will be answered by a great outpouring of fresh and living water! Any dry land can be revived if we ask Jesus for living water. But, he has made us this source as well. Inside of you is a well-spring that will overflow to the thirsty people around you! You don't just know the source of water that your Muslim neighbours are thirsty for, it is in you! Ready to overflow.