A Word to the Wise: What is the real thirst quencher?

I recently attended a free workshop sponsored by Folsom's Utilities Department on "Maintaining Your Water Wise Garden." Jan, one of the fine city employees, was very helpful in getting me information about the event.The April issue of National Geographic was entirely devoted to the subject of water. As we enjoy the benefits of our wetter-than-usual spring and a temporary lifting of water restrictions, my mind invariably turns to good old H20.Of course, our minds were probably already on water as we follow the tragic events in the Gulf of Mexico. This disaster surely has repercussions that we have yet to comprehend. About 97 percent of the earth's water is salty and 2 percent is locked up in snow and ice. That leaves 1percent of the earth's nine million trillion gallons (you read that right, but I can't do the math) for our use — drinking, cleaning, farming, etc.Humans are resourceful in capturing water. Why, even right here in Folsom we have the dam, one of 75,000 in the US. Dams, and their reservoirs, are fed by rivers. Think about the famous rivers of the world.There is the Nile, Amazon, Jordan, Ganges, Tigris and Euphrates and, in America, the faithful Mississippi. Right here in Folsom we have the American River. The Geographic article states, "the word 'rival,' from the Latin rivalis, originally described competitors for a river or stream."Almost half of the world does not have water piped to their homes. For instance, in Kenya "women spend up to five hours a day carrying heavy cans filled with murky water." We go to the faucet and just …… expect. At the Folsom event the presenter informed us that the largest irrigated crop in America is our lawn. Barbara Kingsolver said, "(Water) is the briny broth of our origins, the pounding circulatory system of the world." English poet Philip Larkin said, "If I were called to construct a religion, I should make use of water." It already exists.Jesus said, "Whoever drinks of the water that I give will never thirst," (John 4:14) and, "If anyone thirsts, let them come to me and drink" (John 7:37). At the end of the Bible the apostle John sees "the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal" (Revelation 22:1). The Bible ends with inviting "whosoever will to take of the water of life freely" (Revelation 22:17). As I thank God for water, I also thank Him for quenching my spiritual thirst.Tom Rupp is a Bible teacher at Capital Bible College. He can be reached at truppfolsom@yahoo.com or through his blog at thomaswrupp.blogspot.com.