A rather unexpected thing happened yesterday in the town in which I live. We woke up to a “water emergency.” In case you haven’t ever had that happen in your sweet little town, let me explain.

The water main which supplies our town with water had burst during the night. It provides our ONLY source of water. Note the emphasis on ONLY. Yes, you did read that right. Therefore, broken water main equals only available water is what is in reserve. And in case you are unaware, I live in the South. We’ve been in a drought for nearly a year now. We recently came out of it…sort of, but reserves of water are in short supply.

Town officials immediately went to work to re-establish two existing connections which had been stopped, but even with those connections, the supply only amounted to about 1/3 of daily demand.

While I did not wake up yesterday morning and have nothing happen when I turned on the water, we were told that until further notice, we were not to use water for anything other than drinking and cooking. Note the absence of the word “bathing” in that last sentence. It was Father’s Day, People! Not that I only bathe on Father’s Day, mind you, but come on!

Now before you think I’m being all whiny and showing a lack of understanding about the issues here, believe me, I’m very clear about the issues. I get it. I got it, and in case you’re wondering, I did NOT bathe yesterday. Does that count as TMI? If so, I do apologize, and you can just pretend you didn’t read it. That way, we can go back to being friends who think only the best of one another, ‘k?

Just so you know, I start EVERY DAY with a shower. It’s what I do as soon as I get out of bed. It’s how I wake up. Some people start with coffee. Me? I start with a nice, warm shower, so yesterday was off to a less than stellar beginning. But it was Father’s Day after all, so I made the best of it and commenced making a special breakfast for my husband, assisted by my daughter, of course.

I continually checked the town’s website throughout the day to see if the water main had been repaired and the restrictions lifted, but to no avail. Then, about 4:00pm yesterday, a new notice was posted that the restrictions would stay in place until further notice, and the water main would most likely not be repaired until sometime this afternoon or possibly even tomorrow! Say what? Please note there was still no mention of bathing. You will be happy to know, though, they did include flushing in the allowable uses! I won’t elaborate on that one any further. You get the idea.

So, here’s my question. If it were you, would you shower, perhaps turning the water off while you lather up, or do you continue not to bathe until the restrictions are lifted? I really would like to hear from some of you on this. A rather vocal debate has ensued since this began in my immediate family, and I’m curious to hear your position on it.

BTW, you’ll be happy to know the indoor restrictions were lifted about 11:45 today.

Stay tuned tomorrow when I share how God used this to show me a spiritual application.

God broke me yesterday. I realized that I can’t fan the flame. God has to do that. As long as I try to do it myself, it can not burn hot and bright as I move forward in all that God has for me to give as well as receive.

Hebrews 12:29 states, “for our God is a consuming fire.” (NIV) I sat at His holy feet yesterday morning, and I got burned by His gentle conviction. It was painful. It stung. I cried as He tenderly cradled me in His loving arms and comforted me as I nursed my wounds. You see, as I sat with Him, He then used another purification process to show me what has been going on all along.

Day 4 of this week’s study focused on God’s instruction to the priests, specifically Aaron and his sons, that they were not to enter the Tabernacle without first washing their hands and feet. Beth then sent us over to John, Chapter 13, which describes Jesus’ washing of the disciples feet at the Passover Feast.

In verse 8, Peter tells Jesus that He shall never wash his feet. Note Jesus’ reply, also in verse 8. “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” Beth points out that Jesus’ washing of only their feet seemed to imply an ongoing cleansing enabling them to walk with Him. It was about relationship and the need to maintain it, but washing their feet was also about servanthood.

In verse 14 of that same chapter, Jesus then tells them they should wash one another’s feet. It is in this next part that God showed me what I had not seen before.

Beth lists seven reasons why we have difficulty following Jesus’ command to wash one another’s feet.

One is we lack the assurance of who we are. She points out John 13:3 which says that Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power. “He knew His position with His Father. He had nothing to prove; therefore, He was not humiliated by humility.” (Pg. 86) “If you know who you are in Christ, your personal ego is not an issue. Sadly, most Christians do not have the confidence in Christ to humble themselves.” (Pg. 86)

That’s when it hit me. I finally understood what the problem has been all along. It hasn’t been fear. It hasn’t been a lack of confidence, at least not in the way that I had thought. No. Instead, it has been something far worse. Pride.

Pride. The truth is, I haven’t wanted to face rejection. I have worried about what other’s would think of me. I worried I would fail. I thought perhaps it was fear, but I was wrong.

I knew I was sinning by disobeying, but it was more than that. I was being prideful. And I didn’t even know it.

I was right about the lack of confidence, but mistaken about the specifics. The lack of confidence came from not trusting in who I am in Christ. As Beth points out, Romans 8:17 tells us that we are co-heirs with Christ. Jesus knew His position with His Father, and I can, too.

I don’t need to worry about what other people think of me. My success or failure is in God’s hands. If I am rejected, it matters not because my confidence stems from who God says I am. The rejection might bring more humility, but I need not be humiliated by it. My personal ego is not an issue. It is not necessary for me to prove anything. I only need obey.

And so, I am standing again. I have picked up my poker and am stoking the burning embers. It’s not a raging fire yet, but it is growing in intensity. And while I did receive some burns along the way, those will heal, and my relationship with Him is more the richer for it.

All quotations with page references are taken from A Woman’s Heart, God’s Dwelling Place by Beth Moore.

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you…” 2 Timothy 1:6 (NIV)

God Himself lit the flame that burned at the altar of sacrifice. He instructed the priests that the fire was never to go out. They had to add wood continually to insure the flame was never exhausted. As Beth Moore puts it on page 80 of my study, “God lit the fire, but humans had to fuel it.”

She also points out that if we have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives, then a flame was lit in each of us at the moment of salvation. The Holy Spirit came in bringing with Him the spiritual gifts God intended for us as individuals to be used to fulfill our life’s purposes.

The fire was lit, but we have to fuel it. Praying and studying His word to discern His will for our lives adds fuel. But it’s not enough to just add wood. We have to stoke the fire. If you have ever sat and watched a fire for any length of time, then you know that simply watching it does not keep it burning. You must move. You need to protect it from the wind and the rain that threatens to extinguish it in the form of fear and disobedience.

I am sitting still. I can see the fire. It has burned down to glowing embers. I want to fan it, make it burn hot and bright again, but I feel paralyzed. What to do?