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FROM THE PASTOR:
Fall is coming, and it’s got me thinking of comfort food, food that makes the whole house smell good when it’s cooking, and fills not just my stomach, but my soul. Some of the things that have been on my mind lately are, pumpkin spice (I am completely one of those pumpkin spice people) chili, soup, and warm fresh bread. Whatever your favorites are, at this time of year, you’re probably longing for them too. In Chapter six of John’s gospel, Jesus tells his followers that he is the bread that gives everlasting life. He is the ultimate comfort food, the real meal, he’s the bread that nourishes and sustains no matter what. Comfort food, that fills us to overflowing and empowers us to share God’s love with others from this abundance.
“Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood will abide in me and I in them, just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. “This, is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6:56-58, NRSV)
Jesus is the real food. He feeds us with the truth that God is the source of our life and our true identity. In him we know that We are Beloved of God, created to love God and one another. As such, We are meant to live a joy-filled, joyful life in thanksgiving to God. Jesus became and is still the daily life-giving food from heaven. He is present with us always, feeding us, abiding with us, dwelling in us, and because he is in us, we are also in him. That being so, we are in the presence of Christ’s light, love and grace at all times, we need only recognize it, taking the time to digest, and let that sink in to our entire being. As we are fed by Christ and our spiritual lives are enlarged, it makes it easier and even possible for us to Pay attention to what is happening in the moment, to pay attention to our own behavior and our feelings, and to live in the present moment with gratitude and awareness of God’s love for us through the Holy Spirit.
When we’re tempted to feed on worldly things to numb our minds, emotions, or senses, such as social media, resentment resulting from past or present hurts, obsessive worry, shopping, gambling, whatever stuff we use to check out, it is like eating lots of junk food, it’ll fill us up, but it is only empty calories. God’s Word is the food that leads to life in the hope and joy of Christ. Let it fill you completely, today and always.