On the island of Bermuda, they’re getting to the bottom of a serious problem by starting at the top. You could call the solution: the Bermuda Rectangle.

Though not nearly as exotic as the famous triangle, this unique feature on the island a thousand kilometres off the coast of the U.S. is the key to survival for 61,000 residents. And there’s nothing mysterious about it.

In 1609, an English ship called the Sea Venture was wrecked by a hurricane near Bermuda while on its way to Virginia. Everyone survived and decided to stay put on the uninhabited island. But one of their first challenges was an almost complete lack of fresh water.

Today, Bermuda is one of Earth’s most densely populated nations and still has no permanent drinking water supply. But residents have a solution, from on high: the Bermuda roof.

Though water is in short supply, limestone is everywhere. So when early settlers found that wooden houses with thatched roofs didn’t fare well in hurricanes, they started using stone for both walls and roofs.

Not only did those roofs stay put, they were used to channel, filter and capture rainwater.

Even now, white limestone dug up to make room for each home’s foundation and mandatory water tank is used for the roof. Sloping slabs redirect rain through several pipes that feed an underground tank that holds hundreds of litres.

Not only do the roofs gather water and provide hurricane protection, they last for generations. The island’s oldest one is from the 1680s. And since the limestone is naturally cooling, most residents don’t need air conditioning.

The roofs also give Bermuda a unique look and are a feature of the island’s distinct identity.

And the water situation influences every aspect of daily life. Residents are always keenly aware of how much water is in their cisterns, and they call a big downpour “tank-rain” or a “tank-filler.” Water pressure isn’t great, but there’s lots of water to go around.

To keep it that way, islanders take conservation seriously. They don’t run the water while brushing their teeth, or take many baths, and water is never taken for granted. Responsible use is a mindset made necessary by great need.

Though tourism is a distant second to financial services on the island, the influx of water-wasting visitors has prompted the government to set up a desalination plant, and identify other sources, including groundwater lenses — pockets of fresh water that float on top of denser saltwater.

But rain catch from Bermuda’s rectangular roofs is still, by far, the biggest source of drinking water. And amid climate change, other nations are taking a hard look at the island’s classic innovation.

In all of this, I see a spiritual parallel. In the Bible, water is a symbol of life and God’s provision. Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the “living water.”

“Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!” He says. “Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from Hs heart.’ When He said ‘living water,’ “He was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in Him.” (John 7:37-39)

Without the Spirit — God living within us to sustain and transform us — there is no spiritual life and vitality. But God rains down His loving power upon us, and we must use our hearts to channel and retain it.

That power provides stability and protection in the storms of life, regulates our emotional temperature to keep us calm and cool amid conflict, and gives us our distinct identity in a world that touts individuality but subtly insists on conformity.

Unlike the fads and fashion of our culture, the love of God lasts forever.

We all need spiritual reserves — a fresh supply of living water we can count on daily to help us live out our calling to serve God and others sacrificially. He will replenish it, but expects us to channel and retain the power He provides and use it wisely.

That means we must always be aware of what’s in the tank and never take for granted God’s blessings. And we have to be careful not to rely on our own strength and wisdom, instead of His.

In the Book of Jeremiah, God tells the prophet, “My people have done two evil things: They’ve abandoned me — the fountain of living water. And they’ve dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all.” (Jeremiah 2:13)

In other words, a go-it-alone mentality that leaves God out of the picture is bound to fail, eventually.

Instead, we must rely on our Creator and Sustainer who provides all we need for life and godliness. When we give Him the proper place, He is both our foundation and our capstone of power and protection.

And when we faithfully use all He provides to keep us going in a spiritual landscape thirsty for meaning, purpose, and significance, people will notice.

So use the Living Water and — metaphorically — shout God’s love — from the rooftops.

Share your thoughts with Rick Gamble at info@followers.ca A former TV reporter and journalism professor, he pastors an independent, non-denominational church in Brantford called Followers of Christ (www.followers.ca).

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