Friday night after church, we had to speak to the pastor about our upcoming "40 Days with Jesus campaign" for the Easter Season. After our little talk, he asked a rather rhetorical question to someone who loves to eat, "are you guys hungry?"
Ah, late night at Jack in the Box. Brought back memories from high school after football games. Time to grub on fast food. What better way to celebrate a victory than over greasy cheeseburgers, or Cordon Blue in Bro Izzy's case, fries, and Danny Boy's favorite, a chocolate milkshake.
How could we refuse the pastor? He was buying after all. I don't know about you, but food just tastes better when it's free and not made by your hands.
So there we were telling and retelling stories of glory like that night's service. Thank God for pastor's who give hungry people food (after all, that's their job). We were having church in Jack in the Box.
On our way home, Danny Boy wanted to talk about his recent angelic visitation and dream about Jesus. He wanted to know a little more about why Jesus had to die on the cross. He had seen it vividly in his dream and had seen it before in Passion plays, but he just wanted to hear it again. Just like the people at church retelling their personal experiences, and like the retold stories of church services past, he wanted to relive the moment. He wanted to keep it fresh.
Like all good stories, good news is worth telling 1. because it's good and 2. because it's true. If it's especially newsworthy, it will be retold again and again. If it's a living story, it will find ways to tell itself.
I asked him if he enjoyed his milkshake, another rhetorical question. I asked him if we had to pay for our food. "No, pastor paid," he answered. I explained a little more, "pastor thought about us and wanted to give us free food." Pastor had even called by cell while we were packing up our equipment downstairs to ask if we were still coming to eat. Who could pass up a freebie?-especially a free milkshake.
I continued...
"Well, God did the same thing. He thought about us. He came downstairs and gave us something for free. He paid the price (of sin) so that we didn't have to, so that we could enjoy something better than milkshakes-life and life forever (eternal life)."
There you have it, the Gospel (good news) According to Milkshakes. How can you pass up a freebie like eternal life? Good news worth re-telling. I bet you'd be willing to try a Triple Thick from Micky Dees, why not give God a try? Would you like to taste the free gift of eternal life? Follow Christ. Taste and see for yourself, God is good...
Here's an instant message from Jesus:
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20)
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Was on my lunch break (interestingly enough, eating a Double Pounder with cheese from Micky Dees) when I saw God's Word For Today:
\Remember This
Read Exodus 16:1 through 18:27
The time of the Exodus was a time of unprecendented miracles. The Red Sea parted down the middle, bitter water became fresh, bread fell from heaven.
Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt’”
(Exodus 16:32).
Moses delivered this message even as Israel was experiencing this remarkable period of miracles, yet God knew that if they were not constantly reminded, they would eventually lose sight of what it meant to them as the chosen people. God was saying, “Remember this.”
In our “what have you done for me, lately?” culture, it’s all too easy for us to fall prey to the same attitude. Sometimes we forget we are living memorials of something amazing—God’s rescue of a people doomed to live eternally separated from Him. God has fed us with a Bread that is even more miraculous than the manna, Jesus. Let your life—your actions, your words—say to the world, “Remember this.”
Challenge for Today: Ask God to point you toward someone who needs to taste God’s life-saving Bread.
//
Isn't it amazing how God confirms His message to you? Jesus is the Bread of Heaven that came down to earth. Are you hungry for something more in life?
If you want God's Word for Today, click on the sidebar link under "Just For You." God's Word For Today is a publication of Radiant Life: radiantlife.org
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