If you're in Russia, it looks like this.
If you are a vegetarian, it looks like this. I mean, I guess. I'm just trying to be well-rounded here.
At Susie's softball game this weekend, their pitcher Mariah had a scrumptious looking change-up. She got one batter to twice chase after that pitch, only to watch it go into the catcher's glove and hear, "Strike three!" That pitch looked so delicious, she couldn't resist swinging!I had a lunch this past week with a student who went to CHIC and had said some pretty profound things. She talked a lot about the changes she wanted to see in her life, so I thought meeting her to follow up on those decisions might be beneficial.
I asked her how things were going, if she was able to see some of the changes she had talked about. The response was that when you get to school, it's a lot harder to not get sucked back into finding your identity in other ways: the clothes you wear, the people you hang out with, the boy at your side, the things you do. It's hard once we leave a group of 6,000 people who agree with us about how great God is to live for, to then surround yourself with 8,000 others who don't agree. Who would check the strongly disagree category, for that matter.
That's the problem with retreats/conferences/worship concerts. They aren't the present reality. When we get to heaven, even though honestly I don't know what heaven will really be like, I can imagine it will be more along the worship 24-7 thing. That's a sweet thought. But back to the retreats, the places for your "spiritual high" (which I know refers to high as in on top of a mountain, but really to me just sounds like a drug reference), how do we keep the promises we make to God during those events? How do we translate the mountaintop to the valley, and stay consistent?
We often tell others how to fix the problem by using a formula. "Well if you read your Bible.. If you prayed more.. If you went to church.. If you get rid of all of the cds with the devil music (you know, the ones with a syncopated rhythm?).. then you'll be better off." If you get rid of x, add y, then you'll get z.
Maybe this works. There is a sense that discipline in a certain area of your life can lead to change. For example, I have seen in my own life less of a desire to watch movies for mere entertainment or to say "Yeah, I've seen that," due to stopping myself from buying movies when I was in college.
Maybe though, what we really need to do is create the craving. How do we show others (or maybe we need this for ourselves) how wonderful following the Lord daily can be? How do we make His Word, prayer with Him, works of service, etc. etc. whet the appetites of those around us?
Thinking of When Harry Met Sally, to get them to say, "I'll have what she's having."
On a more appropriate note, to proclaim as the Psalms say, "Taste and see that the Lord is good" and "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth"!!!!!
Following the Lord to me is like eating my dad's fajitas (I think my brother would agree). Every time I come to Texas, I crave them. My time at home is not complete unless he makes them for me. Likewise, my day is not complete unless I've read the Bible, talked with God throughout the day (a two-way conversation), and/or been able to be there for someone. I am satisfied after eating dad's fajitas, how much more I am satisfied when I spend time with God!
As Frank from Everybody Loves Raymond said after a Thanksgiving meal, "I give it two buttons and a zip!"
He is mouth wateringly good. Now taste and see for yourself!
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