Lent Day 18: Unplugged

Lent Day 18:

We’re pretty spoiled by electricity. Instant light. Ready power. Today Nelson and I are going to go look at potential houses to buy and one of the things that I look for is how many outlets there are and where they are in all the rooms. Over the years my opinion has become: there are never enough.

Recently I’ve read several articles aimed at helping us “go green”, including unplugging items that are not in use. Chargers, radios, lamps, even computer printers that lie in wait for our convenience were described by one author as “electrical vampires.” The amounts of drainage were not high on their own but when put together in households and neighborhoods and communities becomes staggering.

As I went through my home unplugging the unnecessary, I began to wonder what was sapping my spirit? I thought of the writer of Hebrews where he warned: It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins (12:1, The Message).

My birthday is just around the corner. Getting older has not been easy: my body doesn’t respond like it used to. I haven’t done a really good job of listening to it either. I’ve let far too many pounds creep on and justified each and every one of them. There are tests that my doctor wants me to have because of my age that I have been putting off. I need to update my glasses and get my teeth cleaned. I’ve justified putting it off by claiming financial prudence, when in fact it is foolishness and poor stewardship to not take care of this amazing physical machine—we truly are fearfully and wonderfully made.

This awareness has me drinking Danactive and taking Omega3 in addition to my other vitamins and minerals. So I’m trying to get better at taking care physically. How do I go green spiritually? I keep coming back to this “unplugging” idea. I’m wondering about what “parasitic sins” are attacking me and sucking out my spirit.

So, just as I’m going to count outlets as I walk through potential houses today, I’m going to search through the rooms of my spirit. I’m going to ask God to open the eyes of my heart (Ephesians 1:18) and help me do some spring cleaning. I have a race to run and I want to run it well. Want to run with me?