An Essential Taken For Granted
Exodus 17:1-7
September 8 and 15, 2019
Pastor E. David Streets
Have you ever been thirsty? Exactly how thirsty?
In September of 2013, after I had my second surgery in 5 days, this time an emergency surgery, I had a nasogastric tube that went through my nose into my stomach. Affectionately known as an ng tube, this device sucked secretions and fluids out of my stomach so that my colon could heal. Have you ever had one of these? They literally suck!
I had it in my nose for at least 6 days. While you have one of those, you are not allowed to take in anything by mouth. The medical insider term for that is NPO initials for the Latin meaning nothing by mouth, not even water.
I’d ask for water and everyone said “no!” They did, however, give me these pick sponge swabs to wipe my lips and swab inside my mouth because I was so dry. But once that swab touched my lips I sucked every last drop of water that I could out of that swab. I was miserable.