A Relationship that Never Fails

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." - John 6:26-27

Jesus was talking to people who were earnestly seeking him for the physical needs they had. They were more concerned about eating and being healed than the fact that they were in the very presence of God!

It's so easy to criticize them, but we are no different. In our prayers, what do most of our requests revolve around? Healing, jobs that provide us with physical needs, the people in our lives? How often do we remember to ask for spiritual gifts or to praise God for blessing "us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3)?

Last week as I was preparing for our DiLanedorf Bible study (DiLiberto, Lane, Endorf), I was convicted of desiring the physical above the spiritual for a long time in one area of my life. The text for our Bible study was Ephesians 5:22-33. Here's an excerpt:

"Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." - Ephesians 5:22-27

John 6 and Ephesians 5 made me realize I had been asking God to provide an earthly marriage relationship for me as my first priority rather than thanking God for the much more important and vital spiritual relationship I have with Christ, a "mate" who loves me unconditionally, gave up His life for me, cleanses me, makes me "radiant," and never fails.

Forgetting that Jesus' amazing love and faithfulness is more perfect than any spouse can provide, and going to Jesus to ask for that earthly relationship without praising Him for the spiritual one is exactly what the men did when they desired to be with Jesus so that he would give them a few fishes and loaves. They overlooked "the food that endures to eternal life" and asked God for much less than what He offered — ridiculously less.

Reading these passages doesn't make me want to get married less, but it does give me the perspective I need to get my priorities straight. It makes me grateful for the life I have rather than resentful about what I don't have.

Forgive me, Jesus, for putting earthly desires above the spiritual blessings you so faithfully provide despite my ingratitude. Thank you for washing me with "water through the word" in my baptism, that I might be part of your body and live with you forever. Amen.

"If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself." 2 Timothy 2:13.

Turning the Tables

Recently, Katie and I invited some of our Peruvian friends in Lunahuana to experience a taste of America. We had them over for "brinner" (breakfast for dinner - that was fun to explain in Spanish), and we made them pancakes. It was quite an experience. First of all it was new food for them. They had actually never seen maple syrup before, and none of them had tried pancakes either. Second of all (and this was most interesting to me), they felt REALLY uncomfortable sitting at the table, passing the food, and choosing how much they wanted.

In the Peruvian culture, whoever makes the food also dishes it onto the plates and serves each person one at a time. No one chooses how much they want (which is probably why I've gained a few extra pounds - they are generous with their servings), and they don't have to figure out how to arrange it on their plate or anything. I think they were afraid of taking too much food and looking like a pig or taking too little food and offending the cook (Katie makes killer pancakes).

Watching our Peruvian guests squirm a little was actually somewhat satisfying to Katie and me. Not to be mean, but I think it gave them a taste of what we both experience on a daily basis, and how unsettling it can feel to operate in a different culture/language. Sometimes it takes being in that position to be able to relate to foreigners and know how to interact with them. Our guests understand us, and our awkwardness, just a little bit better now.