Divining for Water

 

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Proverbs 20:5 Good News Translation

5 A person's thoughts are like water in a deep well, but someone with insight can draw them out.

 

Dad was president of Solusi College, Rhodesia. The college had a huge problem—lack of water. In that semi-arid land, there was little water to be had. He persuaded the government to send out two experts who suggested that he drill wells in two likely spots at the government’s expense. They found some water but only a pittance for what a college needs. Later Dad got Melvin Sparrow, Sr. to come out to divine for water. He used a forked stick and had the reputation of being able to find water with the stick. The government said they could drill where Sparrow said, and they would pay the expense—if he got more water than they had with their experts. So, Dad drilled where Sparrow said, and they got three times as much water as the previous two wells. The government paid, but it was still only a pittance.

Sometime later Melvin and his wife and their teenage daughter Elaine came out to the college for a visit. Elaine was attractive and very blonde. I was nineteen and very happy to chat with her. In our conversation she admitted that she could divine for water like her dad, however, neither of her two brothers could do it.

Highly skeptical, Ï told her that I didn’t believe that it really worked. I pointed out physics reasons why it couldn’t work. She listened. She had heard this scientific approach before. She stuck to her guns.

We got a forked stick from a nearby tree, and she asked me where the water pipe was that came into the house. She walked across it, and the point of the stick pointed directly at the pipe and continued to point at it whenever she walked over it. Then I took the stick and walked where she had walked. The stick didn’t move at all! I knew it wouldn’t—after all science had no physical laws that would make it do so.

She suggested that she put her hands on mine while I did the same thing. I took the stick, and she laid her hands on the top of my hands. I couldn’t help but enjoy her touch. They were not even close to touching the stick.

Then we walked towards where I knew the water pipe was buried. I was absolutely determined that the stick would not move. It was a macho thing, almost like I was defending my manhood. I clutched the stick with all my strength. As we walked over the pipe, the stick twisted in my hands, almost tearing the skin off the inside of my hands. It continued to point towards the buried water pipe. She removed her hands, and the stick didn’t move no matter where I walked.

I became a believer that she had that power even though I knew of no explanation for the phenomenon. To this day, I have met no one who had any credible explanation. I have met many people who look at me askance and question my sanity when I mention it. I just remember that stick rotating of its own accord in my grip. Was it a dark force? Who knows! Was it a miracle of God? I highly doubt it!

Dear reader, what kind of phenomenon would cause you to believe that Jesus is Almighty God and that He will save you? Think seriously about it. There is no scientific explanation. If you ask for that, you won’t get it.

Thank You, Lord, that You are not willing that any should perish but that all should be saved.

 

 

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God and Good Living

 

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 Deuteronomy 8:7 Good News Translation

⁷ The Lord your God is bringing you into a fertile land—a land that has rivers and springs, and underground streams gushing out into the valleys and hills;

 

Shortly after we were married, we spent five years on a rural mission station in Africa. I was sent there to teach math and science. We lived in a lovely mud brick house that was plastered and whitewashed, and had red cement floors. We had electric lights in every room and one electric outlet per room. The electricity was only on from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. If the electricity didn’t come on, I had to shoulder my tool box and hike a couple blocks and fix the generator. We often left the lights switched on, for obvious reasons. Our kerosene operated fridge needed the wick adjusted every so often or the flame would either go out or get too high and coat the ceiling with soot.

We had cold running water. I took a cold dip in the bathtub each morning. During droughts I would leave water in the tub for days and take a dip in it each morning. When we had water problems, I shouldered my tool box and hiked a mile down to the water pump—we had no car—and fix the pump. This might take only a couple hours or a fortnight. If the lights or water went off, it meant the entire mission was without lights or water. When I didn’t notice, someone would come and pound on my door—there were no telephones. When the drains were blocked anywhere on campus, it was my duty to unblock them.

We had a small garden with one papaya tree in it. Often someone would come by and pick my unripe papaya and come to my door and try to sell it to me.

By contrast, now we live in a lovely home about the same size in California. The house is wood framed with plaster walls. The floors are cement and covered with carpet or tile. We have lights and several outlets in every room and electricity all day long. On the rare occasion the lights go out, we wait for only a few seconds, and they come on again. We have an electrically powered fridge that needs no special attention.

We have hot and cold running water. In cool weather I take a warm shower each morning. In hot weather I usually take a morning dip in our swimming pool. Rarely does the water go off, and we are notified beforehand that it will be off. When the drains get plugged, I phone a plumber. We have several working phones that sometimes call us too often.

Two cars park in the garage. In the yard, we have a small orchard with lots of citrus fruit, guavas, avocados, figs, and bananas that supply us with more than enough to feed ourselves and the rats around us.

In the yard behind the first house I had dug a garbage hole, where we dumped all our garbage—when it filled up, I would light it and let it burn. It would sometimes burn for more than a day. Then I could pack it down and add more garbage. Here at this new house, I place all the garbage in three bins, which are emptied weekly, by the city.

Yet in both houses we found joy and love and comfort. It’s not just what one has or lacks that makes it pleasant or unpleasant. The attitude we adopt can make each sufficient and livable.

Thank You, Lord, for these common luxurious necessities that You keep us supplied with in all circumstances.

 

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[1] Our home in Africa