In Utah, There Is This Controversy Over Water

In Utah, there is controversy. It's dry. Little moisture is being released from the sky above. The governor seeing the problem, has asked the people to fast and pray for rain. 

And in that setting, there comes an editorial from the Salt Lake Tribune. Seventy-five percent of the water is swallowed up by agriculture concerns. Seventy-five percent! 

"We could let every lawn turn brown, every golf course and park dry to a crisp, drink imported beer instead of water and wash our clothes in turpentine and we would have only a tiny impact on our water situation," says the editorial

I am not among those who think it wrong to fast and pray. Appealing to God is a worthy thing. I try to remember the outcome the last time Gov. Cox asked us to pray. If memory serves, it seems we did get the moisture we petitioned the Lord for. 

Still, the Tribune is correct. We do live in a desert. Agriculture is necessary for the survival of the planet, but that doesn't mean every place on earth is suited for farming. We should be wise enough to realize Utah might not be such a place. Thanks to the Trib for the solid nudge that direction.

I appreciate the editorial pointing out the old adage: 

“Pray as though everything depended on God; act as though everything depended on you.”

All I have said leaves one important fact undiscussed: As LDS people, we have been taught that the desert will blossom as a rose. That is scripture (Isaiah 35:1). It is prophecy. Does it apply to Utah? I think it does. Does it mean we should go ahead and cultivate the land and trust the Lord to supply us with water? Perhaps, perhaps.