Knights Becoming and a Lady in Waiting

Double-demic

There is a double epidemic taking over our country.  Correct that: there is a double epidemic that has already overtaken our country.  While the two parts may seem independent, I can find some rather striking correlations.  There may even be other issues out there that I haven't connected.  Let's start with the first one.

Medical studies show that, as a nation, Americans have lost their ability to know when they're thirsty.  According to an article by Dr. David N. Tornberg (here), when you're thirsty, your body starts to make water from the food you eat.  Because of this, many people mistake thirst for hunger-- and then overeat.  We substitute the water our body needs with food that not only doesn't satisfy us, but also packs on the pounds.  Sometimes we feel thirst and ignore it because we don't have time (or make time) to drink our 64 ounces or more of water that we need.  Other times, we recognize our thirst and try to slake it with coffee drinks, sodas, fruit juices, and other beverages that just aren't water.  This, again, packs on the pounds and may contribute to the rise in obesity, diabetes and other diseases in this nation.  Could it be possible that we are so blessed as a nation that we would rather spend money on an expensive substitute with half the nutrition than injest the real thing?

Article after article shows the benefits of water.  One on Inch-Aweigh.com shows that the liver normally processes fat.  However, when the kidneys aren't functioning normally (too much sugar or too little water-- or both), the liver picks up the slack.  This slows down how fast the liver can process fat.   Yet, in spite of all the evidence out there, how many of you had eight 8-ounce glasses of water today?  How about four?  One?  To keep this honest, I had two-- and I've been sitting here doing the research!

The second part of this epidemic is less documented, but far more dangerous.  We have lost the ability to recognize our thirst for God.  We mistake this thirst as a hunger for money, power, fame, position, friends, or fitness and overindulge in one or more of those ares to try to quench our thirst.  Instead, we leave less time to drink from the Fountain, leaving us more thirsty than ever.  No wonder none of those things can satisfy!  We will gain worldly weight-- a bigger house, a high-pressure job, bills-- while never slaking our real thirst.  We also feel the thirst and ignore it.  Although roughly 92% of American households own at least one copy of the Bible (and the average household that owns a Bible owns three copies), most don't read it.  According to a Gallup poll in 2000, 59% of Americans reported that they read the Bible "at least occasionally".  Only 37% report reading their Bible at least once a week.  Once a week!  Worse, those who read the Bible regularly spend about 52 minutes a week in study.  52 minutes a week is a little more than 7 minutes a day.  Only 14% are involved in active Bible study.  Even in churchgoing families, many people cannot answer "simple" Bible questions like:

• What is the first book of the Bible?
• When was the Bible written?
• What are the four gospels?
• What are the Ten Commandments?
• and more

[see this article for more information]

Within the church, some people recognize their thirst as a need for God-- and try to appease it with devotionals, sermons, speakers, and group studies.  While these are reasonable supplements, they are not what we thirst for and crave.  In fact, I believe (pure opinion here) that the easy availability of these items has actually stunted our growth as we "snack" on substitutes rather than drinking from Living Water.  Again, we are blessed with so much that we use something lesser to satisfy our real need.

I find this very sad.  In both cases, we have lost our God-given ability to recognize our need.  We have gained weight from trying to quench our thirst with the wrong things.  We spend a large amount of money trying to substitute things that are nutritional weaklings when the real thing-- exactly what we need-- is so close to free that it's not even funny.

Confession time:  I am just as guilty as anyone.  Although I can answer all those questions about the Bible up there (thanks to a Godly mother and a knack for "trivia"), I don't recognize my thirst all the time.  I have definitely used fitness or friends to mask my need for God.  I tend toward Bible studies and devotionals far more than just reading God's Word and being fed. 

There is only one solution in either case.  Drink the real thing and drink abundantly.  If you drink enough water, it starts to flush the fat and toxins out of your system.  If you drink enough Living Water, you start to shed the worldly weights and toxic thoughts that you have taken in.  It's not a magic pill; it's the way we were made.

I challenge you (and me) this next week to spend more than 7 minutes a day digging into the Word all on your own.  While you're at it, drink a large glass of water.  It doesn't hurt to quench the body and the spirit at the same time.

Untitled Comment

1:27 PM, Nov. 14, 2006 .. Posted by Victorious

GREAT post!
Blessings ~ Diane

As iron sharpens iron...

8:13 PM, Nov. 16, 2006 .. Posted by tallenmomof5

Once again I am reminded why *this* is my favorite blog to read.

Thanks for challenging me again.

Love,
Trish

Great post

10:10 AM, Feb. 5, 2007 .. Posted by doehillhomeschool

Thank you so much for this. It has blessed me to read it!