The Messy Cafeteria

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 All winter long the chickens and ducks wandered with free reign through the yard winding their way through flowerbeds and paths.  We have really enjoyed their antics and listening to their chatter.  I sure hope our slug and spider population has diminished over the winter.  As enjoyable as it has been to watch them, by the end of winter their kitchen mess grew.  They are messy grazers!  Scratching and digging day after day left the cafeteria quite a disaster.  The raised beds and paths were covered and rearranged.  Alas, we had to put them in their pen and shut the gate.  We are still cleaning up the cafeteria!  

God invites us to His “cafeteria”.  We are to live on every Word that comes from the mouth of God.  Matthew 4:4.  Acts 2:42 tells us to devote ourselves to the teaching of the Word together.  Seeking and longing for the kingdom of God has much to do with the taking in of God’s Word, His Scriptures.  If you have ever really studied God’s Word you know that your hen scratching notes are messy.  I have lists of word meanings, arrows crisscrossing the page, colors of pencils for certain themes, cross references scribbled here and there, study books opened with slips of paper sticking out, and piles of notes laying around.  Pretty soon it is such a mess I have to take time out to straighten things up a bit.  But, Oh!  What glorious delight it brings!  There is nothing quite like it.  You ought to try it for yourself.  It reminds me of Jeremiah 15:16, “Your Words were found, and I ate them, and Your Word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart...”. Yes, God’s cafeteria is full of wonderful life-giving flavors and joys.  Truly, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life.  He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”  John 6:35.  What a feast!  Scratchings and all!                                   

                                                                                                                                      K.C.

God’s Invitation to You

 We spent a week on the Rogue River recently.  What a lovely setting!  God’s handiwork is always spectacular to revel in and admire.  That is what I have noticed through the years of carefully observing God’s handiwork -  there is so much to admire Him for!  From the magnificent Rocky Mountains to the tiniest Lily-of-the-Valley, God has given us a multitude of invitations to praise and glorify His creativity, to admire and lift His name high.  Sitting on this bench through the week, watching all the beautiful birds floating by, reminded me once again of God’s invitation to spend time with Him and learn from Him.  Though everything changes in this world, God never changes.  Continually, He is inviting us to His presence.  Even my water bottle sitting on the chair arm reminds me of thirsting for His presence. 

Knowing the salvation given to us through the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ is just the beginning as we press in deeper to know God.  Salvation is not just the “ticket” to heaven. Salvation is the beginning of loving and learning to know Jesus.  Throughout Scripture God is continually inviting us to Himself.  “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:28.  “Ho!  Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.”  Isaiah 55:1.  Moses cried out in Exodus 33:15, “...if Your presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.”  God promised Moses, “...My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”  There are many verses throughout the entire Word of God’s invitation to come and meet with Him.  His promises are sure, never failing.  

God’s beautiful creation is constantly an invitation to me to come and marvel in His presence.  May you, too, recognize the invitations of God.  May each of us love Him, learn from Him, lean on Him, and live for Him.  

                                                                                                                                             KC