Sunday Worship 16 March | Let The Waters Be Separated

Genesis 1:6-8

And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.

Job 38:4-11

Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone—while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’?

Last week, we started a new series journeying through the six days of creation, drawing on Ruth Valerio's book ‘Saying Yes to Life’. I suggested then that the early chapters of Genesis were never meant to be read as a literal or scientific account of the origins of the universe, but were written as a poetic affirmation that God is the creative power behind all things. You may read them differently, but it is perhaps helpful to know from the outset that this is the understanding I bring to these texts as I speak on them. I also suggested that this series may help us hold together themes of creation and redemption as we move towards Easter, because as Ruth Valerio puts it, “the redemption we eagerly anticipate as we go through Lent is not one that takes us away from creation but one that will root us more deeply in it”. That is why these Lenten Sundays will be woven through with chances to reflect on the climate crisis we find ourselves in, and how we might play our part in the redemption of creation.

Today we are reflecting on the second day of creation, on which God declares “let there be a vault between the waters”. This is the separation of sea and sky, the waters below and the waters above, held apart by a great vault. While we may think of a vault simply as an empty space, the Hebrew word used here actually means to beat or stamp, like the beating of sheet metal. The waters are beaten back to create the space which we inhabit and the air which we breathe. I commented last week on the apparent passivity of the verb ‘let’, the way God seems to step back and allow creation into being, but that doesn’t mean that creation itself is passive, and here we see an activity and a process to it.

I have always loved water, despite having spent my life just about as far from the sea as it's possible to get on an island, and water is a powerful symbol throughout scripture, representing divine abundance and a source of life. From the rivers that run through the garden of Eden and water its abundance, to the miraculous well which saves the lives of Hagar and her son, to the cleansing waters of the river which heals Naaman, there is blessing to be found in water.

Given the Israelites’ experience in the wilderness, it is probably not surprising that they had a keen understanding of the importance of water. After all, scarcity will often make us more appreciative. In Psalm 65, the whole earth praises God, and central to that is the role of rain: “You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops.” Rain is rarely a scarce resource here in England, although the Environment Agency warns of future water shortages, so perhaps we are not as appreciative as we might be, and we need to catch some of the gratitude and joy of the psalmist.

And yet there are also places in scripture where water represents chaos and death, from the flood that covered the face of the earth to the various famines that drove people across borders to the storm that led to Jonah being thrown overboard. The psalmist may have praised God for the rain, but they also cry out: “Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched.” Just as last week we saw both good and bad in both light and dark, so water is not entirely one or the other. We need it in its proper place at its proper time. So much of the creation story is about the proper ordering of things, and so much of the current crisis is because we haven’t used things properly. We need to understand that if we are to become better stewards of this good earth.

We’ll come back to that thought, but I’m not sure we can talk about water without saying at least a little something about the significance it has in Jesus’ life and ministry. From walking on water to calming the storm to promising living water to washing his disciples' feet, water flows as deeply and freely through the gospels as it does through the Old Testament, and perhaps one of the most significant ways in which it appears is baptism. 

Baptism did not originate with Jesus or even with John the Baptist, and the ritual use of water is not unique to Christianity, but the practice has held immense significance for the church from its earliest days, and continues to do so even as understanding and practice have shifted and diverged. It brings together ideas of cleansing and rebirth, and of solidarity with Christ and our siblings in him. I think there is something so beautiful about the way we use something so fundamental to life, in the same way that our other sacrament of communion uses the basic elements of food and drink. All we need is water and wine and wheat, and a willing group of fellow pilgrims.

Let’s come back now to think about water in our world today. It covers around 70% of our planet’s surface and is abundant in life. Most of that is sea, with freshwater only accounting for around 1% of the earth’s surface, but even that provides the habitat for about 10% of the world’s known species, and we are utterly dependent on it for our existence. And yet water is both in trouble and causing trouble. Water pollution is bringing species to the brink of extinction, and lack of access to clean water is one of the greatest problems facing humanity, with 60% of the world’s population living in areas of water stress. This has obvious implications for health, but it also means communities spend time on collecting water that could be better spent on education and development and leisure. We have known much of this for years, but we are now increasingly understanding the impact of climate change, which is driving more extreme weather events, making floods and droughts more common and more severe, with devastating effect. 

So what can we do? Ruth Valerio suggests three things. First, we can pray. We use water throughout the day, so perhaps we could commit to giving thanks for it each time we use it. It is amazing how much simple gratitude can change our attitudes. Second, we can give. There are many organisations working to improve access to clean water, which those of us who can afford to can support. And third, we can take practical action. We can be more mindful of the water we use and the ways in which we contribute to water pollution without even realising, making small changes like favouring eco-friendly cleaning products and food grown without intensive farming methods.

With those things to go away and think about, I’ll draw things to a close with a prayer on water from Nigerian youth pastor and social activist Fwangmun Oscar Daladi: Dear Lord, it is exciting to know that you are the very source of Life including water. We praise and adore You for the gift of water that sustains all life and constantly reminds us that You are the fountain of living water. Teach us to use it thankfully, to consume it consciously, and to protect its purity. Father, forgive us for the times we took it for granted. We confess our attitudes of greed, dominance, and insensitivity towards your beautiful creation, and particularly towards water. Lord, forgive us for the times we have used water selfishly, unwisely, and without regard for how it affects others. Forgive us for the actions we have taken to harm the different sources of water around us. Help us to see the effects of our actions not only on our immediate surroundings but also on people living in places plagued by drought. Help us to be conscious of our daily use of water; help us to be more willing to reflect on its symbolic nature and the lessons it teaches about You and Your sustaining power. Please guide us on how to protect the water bodies you made for Your glory. Amen.