Its an odd phrase from Deuteronomy 29v19. I wonder what you make of it but it caught my eye as I finished reading my bit of Bible today.
I think its about seeing in any small amount of water the hope, glimmer, and possibility of life, and so – of faith, repentance, of peace.
My friend Donna took me about today and showed me all sorts of wonders. The Tower of David museum, for example, isnt a tower and it isnt about David. Its a minnaret and it stands in the walls of Herod’s Palace. Was this the place where Herod became friends with Pilate?
The views from here are amazing (see my facebook page for a 30 panoramic and the above photo which shows the Church of the Holy Sepulchre between our heads).
After lunch (I had falafel and Donna had schwarma) we go in search of St Peter Gallicantu – the Church set up to commemorate the denial of Peter and discuss whether Peter was a coward.
Along the way we pass a place that the Crusaders thought was David’s Tomb. It isn’t. There’s a synagogue here which is very open and easy to wander in and pause for a moment of prayer. And then up to the Room that isnt the Last Supper Room. But lots of people come here anyway. And up again to a roof top view that’s gorgeous.
We didnt get lost, its just that for a moment we found ourselves down a dead end. In front of us was an ugly concrete locked up cage. But a closer look and i could see that about 15 feet below the ground inside this cage is an altar. This turns out to be a church. The Greek Orthodox use it very rarely but especially at Pentecost. Could this be where the very first Christians met? They have found here the really ancient symbol of the menorah and ichthus overlayed. Theres a small religious bath, but its too small to get in, and positioned so that maybe you could just wash your feet on your way walking down these steps to the Chrch below. Here are caves and tunnels so that if you felt persecuted and needed to scatter suddenly you could. This is the best find of the day and reminds me of the importance of being open to the Spirit, of being okay with getting a little lost.
That early church was barely moist with faith. Peter had a spell in prison, James the brother of Jesus had been executed, Stephen martyred and so on. But there was enough water to grow some faith.
St Peter Gallicantu may have been the home of Caiaphas. Here is a donkey stable, perhaps Jesus was locked up here, of perhaps down in the cistern. We know he was locked here for a while.
I think it took courage to deny Jesus and then to hang around for another accusation, and even then not to take the hint but to wait for a third accusation.
Perhaps if you feel that your faith is a bit damp, then be glad, brush away as best you can the dryness, and allow a little growth to come forth.