H2O to Go. Awake Series, Part 17
"For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than
burnt offerings." (Hosea 6:6 NIV)
How good we feel about ourselves when we offer our meagre monetary sacrifices to
our Maker each month. I have to wonder however, if those sacrifices are
meaningful to God!
Think, for a moment, about our world. It contains billions of inhabitants, and
most of them are living below the poverty level. Are we making a difference in
these lives? Are our measly sacrifices reaching them at a level they can
understand? Are we truly showing them mercy?
Are we really acknowledging God through our offerings?
"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers
of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40 NIV)
Let's take for example the problem of obtaining clean water, a luxury we hardly
have to worry about in the Western world. Do we even realize that nearly one
billion of this world's population doesn't have access to a source of clean,
safe drinking water?
How would we enjoy drinking from a lake, river or pond where livestock routinely
drink, and sometimes even relieve themselves? The body of water
is also often used
for laundry and bathing, and may contain discarded trash, and sometimes, even
human waste. Would we enjoy a cup of water from this water source?
And this may be the only water source for miles around, meaning that it is
necessary to go a fair distance to obtain this polluted water! North Americans
use an average of 350 litres of clean water a day, while many African families
subsist on a mere 20 litres, and this, often, from adulterated sources. No
wonder half of the world's hospital beds are filled by patients agonizing from
water-related and sanitation-related diseases.
Do we take time to even pray for them?
Besides providing clean water, there are many other worthwhile endeavours that
would help those living in such dire need. If only we could make a difference to
even just a few!
Now we need to ask ourselves: What kind of sacrifice can we offer to our
Heavenly Father that He would truly delight in?
"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is
love." (1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV)
Excuse me! There is some dirt in my glass of water!
Hmmm… yummi!!!
Rob Chaffart