By Not Known
In some cultures, eating is an art. In other cultures, eating is like medicating the health. Whatever eating means to each culture, it certainly is a common activity for renewing and building relationships. We love eating fresh food rather than leftovers. Nobody serves leftovers to their guests; neither do we like to be served leftovers. The same is true of our relationship with God.
The word of God is food to our souls. Hebrews 1:2 tells us that God has served us spiritual food fresh and first-hand in his Son Jesus Christ. He is central to our relationship with God because he absolutely represents the Father to us (Heb 1:3). We do not need second-hand knowledge, or leftovers. Jesus, who is himself God, came to live amongst his people. He ate and drank, slept and wept, served and saved those who belonged to him (Heb 2:8-10). The first disciples were able to relate with him up- close and personal because he called them “brothers” (Heb 2:11). That expresses spiritual blood ties! If we wouldn’t welcome being served or serving leftovers to our guests, how much more a ‘brother-in-Christ’?
Unfortunately, many of us may be doing just that. Instead of reading the Bible for ourselves, our diets are full of Christian books written about the Bible, Christian testimonies about experiencing Christ, etc. These things are useful and helpful. But, if we have not hit the Bible first-hand through disciplined reading and meditating on it, we are still living on leftover spiritual food. Somebody else have chewed and processed it and we simply feed on their regurgitations. Perhaps we dislike the hard work of listening to God directly through studying the Bible. Perhaps we are just too busy and would rather make-do with fast food. Is that you?
Jesus has made believers holy and we belong to God’s family. He calls us his ‘brothers (and sisters)’ (Heb 2:11). If we desire first-hand relationship with God and to serve him with our fresh labours daily, we need the fresh food of God, not leftovers.
What will you eat today? Are you eating to live or living to eat? Let’s not eat leftovers.
Benson Goh