As a put away the groceries one evening, I made
salads for the following day’s lunches. I did not say anything to my husband,
David, at the time. The next morning I noticed that he had not taken his salad
with him to work. It had been in the front of the refrigerator. This is the
place where lunches are frequently placed. He had helped me put up the
groceries, so he also knew that all the veggies were in the fridge. Had he just
looked, he would have seen the salad and taken it for lunch. Instead, he simply
took some pieces of fruit that were in a bowl on the counter.
After I realized he had not taken the salad, I
regretted not commenting to him about the fact that the salads were in the
refrigerator. I wondered why he hadn’t open the fridge door and seen it. Even
if he hadn’t realized I made the salad, he knew there were burgers and other lunch
appropriate items in there. Yet all he took was the fruit. Whether by hurrying
or inattentiveness, he left for work with less of the lunch then he could have
had.
How often can we face the Word of God in the same
way? I may have neglected to tell David that the salad had been made. Jesus, on
the other hand has made it clear that our every need is met and satisfied in
the Word. He is the Word became flesh.
(See John 1:14) Jesus also referred to himself as the bread of life. “Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be
hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves
to and trusts in and relies on Me will never
thirst any more (at any time).” (John 6:35 AMP) Jesus also promises to give
living water. “Jesus
answered her, If you had only known and had recognized God’s gift and Who
this is that is saying to you, Give Me a drink, you would have asked Him
[instead] and He would have given you living water.” (John 4:10 AMP)
The invitation is clear. Jesus calls us to come and feast on the true
nourishment of the promises and direction of God. These will be found in the
Bible if we simply look.
Sometimes I go to Bible looking for
verses I’ve read or heard before. I can become so focused on searching for what
I already know is available to me that I don’t make the effort to open my eyes
to the many other blessings God has also promised. Other times I do not open
the Scriptures at all. I just quote verses that I already know from memory. I
fail to even open the ‘door’ to the rest of the Word of God. I do not see what
he has prepared for me, because I haven’t taken the effort to truly study the
Bible.
Another aspect of the salads that I had
prepared was that they were unique to the one they were prepared for. David’s
salad was heavier on the broccoli (one of his favorites) then mine was. My
salad had mushrooms added to the other veggies. David does not care for fresh mushrooms,
but I love them. Likewise, the gifts and promises that God has provided each of
us are unique to the individual and to the circumstance. He knows the heart of
each of his children. And he communicates to each one in ways that are best.
The apple and orange that David took
from the fruit bowl were nutritious. They were also sweet to taste and something
that he enjoys eating. But as good as they were, they did not complete the meal
in the same manner that adding salad would have. What David ate that day was
good but incomplete. So also enjoying only part of what God has prepared for us
is good yet incomplete. There is so much more He has for us that will make us
both strong and satisfied.
So don’t settle for just the familiar or
easy to see promises of God. Search deeply through the Scripture until you find
the custom designed promises that your heavenly father has written in his love
letter to you. He has provided spiritual food that will nourish and sustain you
through every need you may have. “O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good! Blessed (happy, fortunate, to
be envied) is the man who trusts and takes refuge in Him.” (Psalm 34:8 AMP)
Take, eat and enjoy!
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