Attention

And they took in their hands some of the fruit of the land and brought it down to us, and brought us word again and said, ‘It is a good land that the Lord our God is giving us.’ (Deuteronomy 1:25 ESV)

Attention

Some days my eyes see darkness more than light.  I KNOW that the light of Christ is brighter than any shadow, but darkness seems so prevalent.  Some days my ears hear cacophony more than harmony.  I KNOW that God directs my life in ways of beauty and Unity with Him, but the noise seems so loud.  Some days my nose notices odor more than fragrance.  I KNOW that God’s presence is a delight, but the decay and stink sometimes fills my nostrils. 

So many senses… so many ways to interpret the world.

But there was something about the food in the Promised Land.  The food they brought back made them say, “this is good!”

They could have been blinded by mist, they could have been deafened by terrible sounds, they could have been overwhelmed by the smells… but they noticed the good food.

Maybe that is one reason God gives us tasty food.  Not just so that we have some happy things… but because when we taste goodness, it is an easy path to the goodness of God. 

I suppose I could survive on saltine crackers, broccoli, and water.  But instead He claims my attention with croissants, with brussels sprouts (yes, I LIKE them…), and with wine. 

Let food’s deliciousness pull your attention to the goodness of God.

Drought

It was I who knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought; but when they had grazed, they became full,

they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they forgot me. (Hosea 13:5,6 ESV)

Drought

Those foolish Israelites!  They received help from God, enough food to make them FULL, when all around them was in drought… and then after the danger was past, they forgot God.

We are foolish, too.  When we are in trouble, we cry out to God, the One True Living God.  The ONLY help in whatever trouble we have.  We desperately look to Him, and to Him alone.  We are sincere, we are open and honest, we are full of need, and full of our need for Him.

And then, because He helps us, we feel better.  We stop being afraid.  Our desperation moves out of sight, and out of memory.

And we forget how much we needed Him.

If it seems like we have more drought than harvest, perhaps it is because God is reminding us that we need Him.  If we have more tears than laughter, perhaps it is because we have forgotten how wonderful He has been.  If we have more terror than peace, perhaps it is because we have moved away from Him.

And He allows, or sends, or causes droughts, tears, and terror to draw our gaze back to Him.

Instead of panic, remember Him.

Responsibility

Only your wives, your little ones, and your livestock (I know that you have much livestock) shall remain in the cities that I have given you… (Deuteronomy 3:19 ESV)

Responsibility

I have wasted many of the gifts I have received.  It took me a long time to realize and admit that with great gifts comes great responsibility. 

I have wasted friendships, letting them slip into inactivity.  I have wasted financial blessings, using money for things that rust away.  I have wasted time, wandering into purposelessness and laziness.  I have wasted good health, without regard for prevention and protective habits.  I have wasted energy, living wildly from wake-up to bedtime.

The Israelites who decided to stay on the East side of the Jordan River were given the blessing of land, homes, and security, just like those who inherited the West side of the Jordan River.  But as they received their gift early, they perhaps were able to understand the responsibility that comes with receiving a gift.

They had to arrange safety for their children and wives.  They had to ensure food for their (much) livestock.  They had to work hard for what they had already received.

It is not that far from the lives of Christians, today. We have received the GIFT of salvation, but with that gift comes great responsibility.

Responsibility to God, of obedience.  Responsibility to other Christians, of love.  Responsibility to creation, of stewardship.  Responsibility to others, of compassionate gospelling. 

Not to receive blessings… but because we already have been blessed.

Comfort Food

Sustain me with raisins; refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love. (Song of Songs 2:5 ESV)

Comfort Food

For me, it is bacon.  When I am tense, bacon helps relax me.  When I am excited, bacon helps calm me.  When I am angry, bacon helps me smile.  When I am tired, bacon revives me.

Others might be refreshed by chocolate donuts… others by kale… others by steak… others by a milkshake.

For the poet in these verses, when he is heartsick, yearning for love… he turns to raisins and apples.

These fruits remind him, somehow of the reality of love.  It might be referring to romantic love.  It might be referring to brotherly love.  It might be referring to God’s love.

But food, particular foods, refresh in him an awareness of love.

THAT is comfort food.

Consider God’s love when you eat your favorite food.  Consider your family’s love when you share a familial meal.  Consider romantic love when you are out to eat on a date.  Consider Christ’s love when you eat HIS Supper with Him.

Food and comfort go together.

Now

For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:8 ESV)

Now

I saved some fruit gummy treats for too long.  Perhaps I was eating less to be healthy.  Perhaps I was forgetful.  Perhaps I had too many hoarded at the beginning.  But they sat in the cupboard for a long time.  And they sadly turned hard, and tasteless.

It is easy to focus on the here and now.  We understand cause-and-effect.  And so we make our plans for today, hoping and expecting that our efforts will have good results… will bear good fruit.

The trouble is, that often our focus is in the here and now.  Physical things.  Financial things.  Health things. Property things.

And those things are not necessarily bad….

But they will not last.  They will fade way.  They will be infested with rust, germs, age, and the effects of time and the elements.  That is what it means to reap corruption.  They are temporal and temporary.  They will not be pure, but rather will eventually be corrupt.

No matter how careful we are.

But the things of the Spirit… things like love, joy, peace, patience, and the rest… those things will last.  Particularly love.  Which will be our main activity and attitude in eternity.

Now is not meaningless… but it is not eternal.

Only the things of God will last.

Ripen

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control… (Galatians 5:22,23 ESV)

  Ripen

When we think of this list, we often think of them like commandments.  Love!  Be Joyful!  Have peace! Be Patient!

But while those are great commands, here they are called fruit.

Fruit is a natural result of a fruit tree.  The nature of the tree brings fruit. 

And the nature of Christians, when we are grafted into Christ, results in fruit.

We naturally (because it is our new nature in Christ, NOT because it is easy) love, find joy, know peace, are patient, are kind, are good, are faithful, are gentle, and have self-control.

Perhaps because God chose the illustration of fruit to help us understand this, we can glean some other ideas.  Our spiritual fruits develop like fruit.  They ripen like fruit.  They are aimed at someone ELSE, not ourselves (apples do not consume apples…). They have seeds that can grow and develop in other people, other situations, other communities.

How ripe is your fruit?

Not Politics

For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for his dwelling place: “This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread.” (Psalm 132:13-15 ESV)

Not Politics

We are Zion.  The people of God are Zion.  Particularly, the church is Zion.  Here, God declares that He is present with us!  He will bless us!  And then God declares that through Zion (which means through US) He will satisfy our poor with bread.

Through Zion… which is us.

Does it seem to you that we spend a lot of energy finding ways to excuse us from that job?  Does it seem to you that we have relegated that job to others (i.e. the government, ‘someone else’)?  Does it seem to you that we figure God will take care of that, if He really cares to?

Instead… without yet arguing about HOW we can do it… let us just notice that in God’s Economy for this world, He desires to provide for the poor through Zion.  Through the church.  Through us.

It is not political.  It is not left wing or right wing.  It is not about blame or fault or failure.

It is, though, time to do it.

Payment

Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents and silver for tribute, and the Arabians also brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats.  And Jehoshaphat grew steadily greater. (II Chronicles 17:11,12 ESV)

Payment

The Kingdom of Judah was powerful. More specifically, the God Judah served was powerful.  When neighboring neighbors observed this, they were worried.  As was customary in those days, they attempted to diminish the threat of a powerful Kingdom by paying them.  The theory was that Judah would accept the profit from the gifts, and not venture into a more risky and costly invasion.

And the Arabians gave rams and goats.

In other words, they gave food sources, and food itself.

This was a more immediate payment than the gift of money.  Food is necessary.  Food is life-sustaining.  Food is profitable itself.  Food is a good payment.

In the Old Testament sacrificial system, much of what God required of His people as sacrifice for their sin was food.

While we tend to see those requirements as due to the simpler economic system of the day, perhaps God had more in mind.  The sacrificial animals were a more personal offering than silver and gold.  The sacrificial animals were a more ‘felt’ offering than silver and gold.  The sacrificial animals were a more practical offering than silver and gold.  The sacrificial animals were a more immediately costly offering than silver and gold.

Jesus does not come as gold, but rather as a lamb.

Jesus is not the silver of life, but rather the bread of life.

Jesus is not the multi-layered economic plan, but rather the vine.

Payment, in every sense,  is more than dollars and cents.  I am glad God knows this.

Importance

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. (Acts 2;42 ESV)

Importance

What did you do yesterday?  When answering that question, you show what is important to you.  Even though you drank 1.78 liters of water, that action is not what defines your day, I expect.  Even though you answered 16 texts about the weather, that action is not what defines your day.  Even though your heart beat 98,487 times, that action is not what defines your day.

But often our day’s summary includes a mention of food.

For the church in Acts it certainly did.

They broke bread.  That phrase refers to every time they ate.  That phrase refers to eating in fellowship.  That phrase refers to celebrating the Lord’s Supper.

And every such meaning refers them back to their Lord, Christ Jesus.

He is the bread of life.  He is the source of all provenance. He is the source of their unity.  And it is His Supper.

So, of course, when the book of Acts summarizes the lives of the church, we read that they broke bread.

Because it was of the utmost importance.

It is for us, too.  Again, He is the bread of life.  He is the source of all provenance. He is the source of unity.  And it is His Supper.

Break bread!

Known by His Food

They did what he said. All of a sudden there were so many fish in it, they weren’t strong enough to pull it in.  Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Master!” (John 21:6,7 The Message)

Known by His Food

Perhaps the disciple Jesus loved recognized the resurrected Lord by His face, His countenance, or His mannerisms.  But from this story it seems that Jesus was recognized by the huge amount of fish that Jesus suddenly and miraculously gave to the disciples.

His actions spoke as loudly as His Words.

A dear lady from rural Mississippi was known to my family by here delicious biscuits.

Another friend is becoming known by his bacon-wrapped turkey every Thanksgiving.

An elder in a church of my childhood was known by his weekly mints on Sunday mornings.

Jesus is known by the extravagant blessings of His food.  Whether fish here with the disciples, the bread and fishes on a hillside in Judea, or the bread and wine during His Supper… 

Jesus is known by His food.

The Lord’s food blesses His people.  The Lord’s food teaches His people.  The Lord’s food excites His people.

Hooray for His food!

Weaned

But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. (Psalm 131:2 ESV)

Weaned

A calm and quiet soul… that sounds great, but how do we have that?  It might seem that the Psalmist is telling us to be like a child, trusting our God like a child trusts well-known parents.

But there is more here.

A calm and quiet soul is not like any old child.  But rather a weaned child.

A child who has grown used to being fed by mother.  Never going without.  Never in fear of being hungry. So often, and so regularly, that the child does not doubt.

And now, with that as a backdrop, the child is done being fed so obviously by the child’s mother.

Now they are weaned.  Now they are more on their own.  Now they are responsible, to some degree, for the work of feeding themselves.

That kind of child, weaned, goes out with knowledge of what food is like.  That kind of child, weaned, goes out with confidence because of the nearby mother.  That kind of child, weaned, goes out with calmness because fear is far away.

God has weaned us.  Not that He has cut us off… but He teaches us, nurtures us, feeds us… and now, weaned, we have calmness and peace.  Because we know He enabled and enables us.  He guided and guides us.  He fed and feeds us.

We are not on our own, of course.

But He makes us willing and able to live for Him, out in the world.

Calendar By Feast

These are the stages of the people of Israel, when they went out of the land of Egypt by their companies under the leadership of Moses and Aaron.  Moses wrote down their starting places, stage by stage, by command of the Lord, and these are their stages according to their starting places.  They set out from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. On the day after the Passover… (Numbers 33:1-3 ESV)

Calendar by FEAST

The wandering Israelites did not state they left on a Thursday, or in October, or at 6:00 am… but rather, the time of departure was noted as occurring on a religious holiday.

Many ancient folk kept calendar by a schedule of planting and harvest.  Because food production was the most important thing they knew.  Other ancient folk kept calendar by a schedule of honoring the gods they perceived, naming months and days after their chosen deities.  They knew SOMETHING was out there, and set up their schedules trying to honor that.

God’s people, the Israelites, set of their schedules in obedience to God’s proposed timing.  They had seven feasts, arranged over three time periods.  Those feasts annually taught (and to some degree experienced) the story of their salvation. In fact, it would have been very difficult to understand God’s work without those annual scheduled events.

They had feasts because the feasts shouted to them about what was most important.  They had feasts because the feasts pointed to the most important aspects of their lives.  They had feasts because thereby they knew about the One True Living God.  They had feasts because in the feasts, they knew that God.

It shows up in these verses because we see the feasts were their calendars.  They were time markers.  They were schedule-makers.

Today, Christian time-keeping has been railroaded by our culture.  While we do not purposefully honor gods, or harvests, or much of anything through our calendars, we certainly are not reminded of our God through the regular passing of time.

But we can do that.  We can mark our days and weeks around the Lord’s Day.  We can remember our salvation as we regularly celebrate the Lord’s Supper.  We can talk about important impact of our God on our daily lives.

Let HIM run our calendar. 

Joy of Joy

And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 8:15 ESV)

Joy

Joy is a gift, and a choice.  The world tries to teach us that joy comes from circumstances.  We will have joy if we have the right environment. We will have joy if we have the right opportunities.  We will have joy if we have the right community.  We will have joy if we have the right skills.

But those things do not really bring joy.

Joy, an internal happy-peace, only comes when we are aware of our real circumstances (Christians are God’s Redeemed children). Joy, an internal happy-peace only comes when we are aware of our real environment (Christians live in God’s kingdom).  Joy, an internal happy-peace only comes when we are aware of our real opportunities (Christians have a life-map in God’s plans). Joy, an internal happy-peace only comes when we are aware of our real community (Christians have unity with the people of God).

And we get to choose that joy.  God does not force it on us.  God does not even require that we choose His joy in order to be His people.

Joy is God’s gift… and our choice.

And joy is pretty cool.

Both

And the people of Gad and the people of Reuben said to Moses, “Your servants will do as my lord commands. Our little ones, our wives, our livestock, and all our cattle shall remain there in the cities of Gilead, but your servants will pass over, every man who is armed for war, before the Lord to battle, as my lord orders.” (Numbers 32:25-27 ESV)

Both

The Tribes of Gad and Reuben had found the joy of a physical home.  A place they could produce food, eat, and live.  Founding homes is a Godly thing.

And it might have seemed that forming homes would stop them from doing the Lord’s Work.  Canaan was still ahead of Israel!  Giants needed to be fought!  Those nasty Kings needed to be defeated!

How could they stay HOME?

But they could do both.  They made homes AND kept doing the obvious Work God had called them to do.

And they DID both.  Yes, they started their homes.  And they still fought on until the war against Canaan was done.

We might be tempted to make a false separation.  God calls every Christian to present the gospel in word and deed… always.  But we make excuses.  Perhaps we need to finish our secular work, first.  Perhaps we need to finish our housework, first.  Perhaps we need to do some OTHER things, first.

But we can do both!

The need for food does not prevent us from being the Lord’s workers.  We can earn a living, providing bread, while we fight for the Lord.

There is truth to tell, the unprotected to protect, love to be displayed, help to be offered, gifts to be given, words to be spoken… all in the name of the Lord’s Work.

Don’t stop to eat.  Eat along the way.

Thirst

Jesus, seeing that everything had been completed so that the Scripture record might also be complete, then said, “I’m thirsty.”  A jug of sour wine was standing by. Someone put a sponge soaked with the wine on a javelin and lifted it to his mouth. After he took the wine, Jesus said, “It’s done … complete.” Bowing his head, he offered up his spirit. (John 19:28-30 ESV)

Thirst

We often are blind to the benefits of our senses.  Pain, for instance, is a warning of danger.  (“GET YOUR HAND OUT OF THAT FIRE!”) The feeling of temperature extremes is a signal to get appropriate clothing, or alter circumstances. 

Jesus’ thirst here is much more than a journal-like entry of what Jesus did on the cross.

He experienced thirst… severe thirst… because while divine, He was also fully human.

God is not thirsty.

Angels are not thirsty.

Spirits are not thirsty.

But people… WE are thirsty.

And as the Messiah, Jesus, was about to die, one of His last experiences was physical thirst.

He was displaying His humanity.

Because that Humanity gives His death half of it’s meaning.

If Jesus was not really a human person, His death would have no value.  It would be an unfair, temporary sacrifice.

But His thirst shows He died for US humans.

Satisfaction

They shall eat, but not be satisfied. (Hosea 4:10 ESV)

Satisfaction

May this forecast not refer to you!

If you consume food, expecting that to give your life meaning, you will not be satisfied.

If you spend money, expecting stuff to give your life meaning, you will not be satisfied.

If you use resources, expecting such use to give your life meaning, you will not be satisfied.

If you travel widely, expecting such trips to give your life meaning, you will not be satisfied.

If you stay home, expecting your family to give your life meaning, you will not be satisfied.

If you work hard to be entertained, expecting entertainment to give your life meaning, you will not be satisfied.

If you read books after books after books, expecting knowledge to give your life meaning, you will not be satisfied.

As simple as it sounds… satisfaction is only found in knowing the One True Living God. 

And that is only through Christ.

Sure

Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him. (Psalm 126, 5,6 ESV)

Sure

I am not a good gardener.  Things I plant grow incorrectly.  I do not seem to be able to make plants do what God created them to do.

But even when they grow poorly, or wrongly, or incorrectly… they do grow.

Obviously, exceptions exist.  But when things are planted, sowed, started… there is a harvest, a reaping, a result.

And with God, through the amazing Christ Jesus… the result will be joy.  Often not immediately.  Often not today. Often in a way we do not expect.  Often not in a way we recognize.

But joy, for Gods’ people, through the amazing Christ Jesus, is coming.

We might plant in tears and sorrow… in fact, we usually do!  But the result, in spite of our planting, will be understanding, peace, and joy!

It’s sure.

Give Away

This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God. (II Corinthians 9:10,11 ESV)

Give Away

Our most generous God gives us seed, harvest and food for our own benefit.  But also, He intends for us to pass it on.  To share.  To give away.  And in that way, the gift He gives, grows!

That is an unusual concept these days.  We want to keep our food, money, and possessions.  We want to prepare for three months from now, just in case.  We want to store up, to protect, to hoard.  And our world encourages us to think that way.

But think about a simple smile.  A smile is also a gift.  When something happens that causes me to grin, I do not keep that to myself.  I cannot, unless I make great (silly) effort to mask my face, hide in the dark, or avoid humankind. 

When God grants me something grin-worthy… I share it.  I can not help it.  It auto-shares.

The gospel works the same way.  We receive it so that we can share it.

All the good things, in fact, work that way.  The grace of salvation, forgiveness, peace, joy, happiness, smiles, bigger smiles, shelter, dollars and cents, ice cream, strawberries, popcorn, chocolate cake, mints, and maybe… just maybe… even bacon!

Sowing

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. (II Corinthians 9:6 ESV)

Sowing

While not directly referring to food, the theme of these articles, before you eat, you have to grow food.  Whether it is a cow, a radish, a peanut, or a chemical concoction, sowing precedes consumption.

The more you sow, the more you have available to eat.

And the better you sow, the better you eat.

This is not, of course, simply referring to food.  Rather, it refers to life itself.

If we, or rather SINCE we desire a good life… we should be aware of what we sow.

Sow troubles, reap troubles.  Sow blessings, reap blessings.

If that sow-quality were up to us, we would be in trouble.  I would usually be sowing selfishness, and reaping the results.  I would be sowing blindness, and reaping the results.  I would be sowing insensitivity, coldness, laziness, slowness, hastiness, and sorrow.  And that would be the life I would harvest.

But when we sow Jesus into our field instead, oh, the harvest is grand!

How do we do that?  Read His Words.  Pray to Him, and through Him.  Mimic Him.  Love Him.  Depend on Him. Speak of Him.  Trust Him. Believe Him.

And we will reap bountifully!

The Whole Hog

‘And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:23,24 ESV)

Whole Hog

…or calf, anyway…

The Prodigal’s Father did not celebrate with restraint, cautiousness, uncertainty, or doubt.  His son had come home, and was that dad glad!

When God gives US reasons to celebrate, we modern folk tend to be more cynical, more unsure, more afraid.  We wait for the other shoe to drop.

But because Christians’ heavenly Father does all things for our good, we have the option of celebrating in trust of Him.  We can celebrate sure that the other shoe will also be worth celebrating.  We can bash our bashedness into unabashed celebrations.

Of course, hurtful things happen.  Sorrow is still here on earth.  But let us not let those overwhelm and out-dark the shining gifts He ALSO gives us.

The Prodigal Father still had troubles.  His younger son was understandably sullen.  He had to PAY for that feast.  His neighbors would doubt the validity of the Prodigal’s awakening.

But oh, he celebrated!