You may have heard about the recent youth event, the 30 Hour famine. Around 15 of us fasted together, raised money and awareness about world hunger. During the event, we came across some statistics that were truly difficult to believe, especially directly related to the availability of (or lack of) clean water.

So, we decided to challenge the entire youth group to an allwater fast. Beginning Monday morning, those adults and youth who accepted the challenge are drinking nothing but water until Friday afternoon. That means no morning coffee (sorry Doug!); no Gatorade or energy drinks; no milk shakes or even milk on cereal. Doesn’t sound like much fun, huh? Believe it or not, we even encouraged them to stick with tap water.

It would be so much easier to continue with life as if nothing was wrong in the world. But some statistics are hard to forget. Here are a few for reflection:

• 783 million people in the world do not have access to safe water. This is roughly 11% of the world’s population. (WHO/UNICEF)
• The average North American uses 400 liters of water every day.
• The average person in the developing world uses 10 liters of water every day for their drinking, washing and cooking. (Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC))
• The weight of water that women in Africa and Asia carry on their heads is commonly 40 pounds, the same as an airport luggage allowance.
• 97.5% of the earth’s water is saltwater. If the world’s water fit into a bucket, only one teaspoonful would be drinkable
• At any one time, half of the developing world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from diarrhea
• 1.4 million Children die every year as a result of diseases caused by unclean water and poor sanitation. This amounts to around 4,000 deaths a day or one every 20 seconds. (World Health Organization)

Recently I heard a radio commercial for a local restaurant that boasted of a CocaCola “freestyle” Fountain with over 100 drink options. Wow! That really does sound tempting. We truly are blessed with abundance. I can see it in my own life and in the lives of those all around us. Now, what can we do?

Lord, Let us not be crippled with guilt or fear of scarcity. Rather, turn our hearts towards you. Embolden us to be who you created us to be. Help us be a presence of hope and to work for transformation. So let it be.

This past Christmas, Amy and I were able to exchange some small and simple gifts to one another. One gift in particular has meant more than the others: a plain, black 8×10 picture frame. Exciting, huh! Actually there’s more. It contains a sheet of paper beneath the glass that reads ‘I love you because…’ Just below this statement is a bold, blank line. Using a dry erase marker, we can take turns completing the sentence. [Insert crass joke here.] Yes, it’s a bit sappy.

To be perfectly honest, at first glance, I was a bit underwhelmed. You know how it feels on Christmas morning. There is all this unwrapped potential – you simply can’t tell what kind of fortunes lay there awaiting your feverish, opening excitement. Could it be an ipad? A two month cruise around the world? The fountain of youth?. . . (dramatic pause)

No, it’s a blank picture frame.

Granted, this was creative, and it took a little effort. But with all the latest technology, I get an ongoing assignment to think of ways to tell my wife how much I love her – just my luck! Now that a month has passed, I can honestly say it’s one of the best gifts I have ever received.

Everyone enjoys hearing they are loved. And sometimes having a frame of reference provides a deeper assurance. You are doing the right things. For example: I love you because… you took out the trash; you spend time with our children even when you’re tired; you cooked dinner; you did the grocery shopping; you filled up my car with gas. There are thousands of ways to finish the sentence.

What if God had one of these message boards? What would it say? “I love you because: you served food to the homeless; you only cussed twice today; you gave ten percent; you called your mother-in-law to wish her luck in surgery.” NO. The refreshing truth is that God loves us without condition. God’s message board would be more apt to say,

I love you because…
you are mine.
I know you.
I created you.
I understand your pain.
I know why you feel so alone.
I said I would.
I am love.

Remember, God loves you today and every day, for no reason at all. And there’s nothing we can ever do to change that. Spread the word; we all need to be reminded.