In the Bathroom
- While waiting for hot water to come down the pipes, catch the cool water in a bucket or watering can. You can use it later to water plants, run your garbage disposal, or pour into the toilet bowl to flush it (saves 50 gallons a week per person).
- Replace your regular showerheads with low-flow showerheads (saves 230 gallons a week).
- Keep your showers down to five minutes or less (saves 75 gallons a week per person).
- Don’t let the water run while brushing your teeth or shaving (saves 35 gallons a week per person (adapted from a 1993 Metropolitan Water District of Southern California pamphlet quoted in More Hours In My Day, Barnes, Emilie, Harvest House Publishers, 1994).
My family tells me I don’t need another book on organization but I do get quite a bit out of them—often not what the author intended. When I first read this, I remembered a recent drought when people were called to conserve. I can see the Susquehanna River out of my front window. The kind of water scarcity in California is outside of my experience.
In Luke 5:27-39, there were three groups of people—Jesus and the tax collectors, the Pharisees and legal experts, and John and his disciples. Jesus and the tax collectors were celebrating whereas as the others were fasting and praying. Jesus and the forgiven tax collectors certainly had something to celebrate about. The Holy Spirit was working in the hearts of the tax collectors. Jesus said that this was the appropriate time to celebrate, the bridegroom was with them. John and his disciples were in a different season of life and were fasting and praying. Jesus had already experienced this season as he prepared for his public ministry (Luke 4:1-2). The Pharisees and legal experts were only looking for something to condemn.
Where are we in this dynamic? Sometimes I am in the preparation mode, other times, I am being sent. I know I am not taking advantage of the discipline of fasting. Water is so precious to those who do not have it, how much more is the presence and action of the Holy Spirit in our lives to which we can become more in tune by fasting.
Carol
3 comments:
Carol, This is a great statement. "Jesus and the forgiven tax collectors certainly had something to celebrate about. The Holy Spirit was working in the hearts of the tax collectors." While the Pharisees were worried about food, Jesus was reaching souls. It happened when the disciples were searching for food in Samaria, too. Jesus was busy winning the women at the well to himself. We can get so preoccupied with details that we miss the main thing. I want to fast and pray to know God better but I also want to be in on the party with Jesus winning people to himself. Jeannie
I have been thinking about the concept of fasting myself lately. I'm not sure if it is something I should do on a regular basis or if I should consider this next time I am really needing to focus on something in prayer. It seems so difficult for us since we have so much at our fingertips. Yet even when you have very little, sacrificing and focusing is not ever easy.
Carol, great analogy!!! Yes we do have something precious the Holy Spirit, we should rejoice with that, but I also believe there are times when we need to spend some time alone and focus on God. Sometimes even food can be distracting from God. Maybe fasting can also help us appreciate how much we have?
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