Which Table?

 When I was growing up, a common warning from my mother as we neared suppertime and she saw my siblings and I sneaking snacks, was to tell us to stop so that we didn't "ruin our appetites." It was a fair warning because we were hungry, but instead of waiting for the food meant for our overall health, we wanted to gorge on that which held little nutritional value, but tasted so good. And doing so left us with little desire for the foods that did.

I see a great parallel to this in our spiritual lives today. We in the church are gorging ourselves on the junk food of this world, filling our lives and souls with "food" that has no eternal value yet leaves us with no appetite or desire for those "foods" that do. It reminds me of a case study I came across about severely overweight people who were literally starving to death. Their bodies were not receiving the basic nutrition that they were designed to receive. They devoured great amounts of food that instead of giving them life, was bringing them death. How overweight are we today with the food that doesn't last while starving to death for the lack of His food that gives life?

Isaiah 44:3 reads, "For I will give you abundant water to quench your thirst and to moisten your parched fields." As I saw it put, before one can be filled with the water of His life, he must first realize how dry and thirsty he really is. The soda pop of this world, which we've been guzzling, masks our true thirst, leaving us craving that which doesn't quench our thirst but makes us even more thirsty. The Father said that He would, "Pour water upon him who is thirsty," but life finds most of us hanging out at the various "soda pop" dispensers of this world. We walk right by His streams of Living Water to drink what only leaves ever more parched and dry, This is true of individuals, households, and churches. Have we ever become aware of how deep our thirst and hunger really is? How long will we keep running to the soda pop and junk void vending machines of this world, spending our lives upon that which is slowly killing us? And all the while He stands before us offering the water and food of life....without cost. 

Decades ago, Jesus Movement singer Keith Green wrote, "Asleep In The Light," which asked the church, "How can you be so dead when you've been so well fed?" Could it be because of our ruined appetites? We may faithfully attend to our daily devotions and our weekly home groups and church gatherings, and His Word may be faithfully placed before us. But it's not received, taken in, made to be a part of us. It can't be, because like my siblings and I, we've already gorged ourselves on our junk foods and soda pop that's to be found everywhere around us. The "dinner," no matter how lovingly prepared nor how sumptuous it might be, goes uneaten. We've been to His table but we've not partaken of anything. We're asleep in the Light, starving to death in the midst of plenty. 

What will this day, week, life hold for you and me? More unending visits to the pop machines and candy bar dispensers? Or will we feast at His table and drink deeply of His water? The world and the enemy spread their table before us.....and He prepares His. We'll be found at one or the other. Which will it be for you?

Blessings,
Pastor O