Where's the Meat?

I came across an interesting anecdote the other day about a guy who worked all day helping an elderly lady do some renovations on her house.  "At the end of the day", she promised him, “I’ll give you all you can eat Pizza!"

Well, that kept him going the rest of the day and into the long afternoon when his strength was beginning to wane. Finally the job was done. The young man sat down to rest, his mouth watering as he heard the sounds of rustling in the kitchen.  

Soon the old grandma toddled out onto the veranda holding a tray. “This is my specialty!” she declared, beaming with pride. “And it’s in keeping with the special diet my doctor has me on. It’s a crustless, meatless and cheeseless pizza!

I was drawn to that story, because that’s exactly what Tony and I have been facing these last six months, determined to lay off anything cancer likes, in an attempt to starve it away, even if we inadvertently starve ourselves.

Sugar, meat, dairy products, most carbohydrates … well, let’s just say anything we like was off the table. As you know, we’ve gotten the all-clear, and of course the credit goes to God. But now we’re trying to re-assess our lifestyle to see what might be acceptable. The doctor (being a vegan) has encouraged us to stay on the diet, so in deference to his wishes, Tony grilled up a couple of racks of pork ribs the other day to celebrate. He insists that he’s now a “part time carnivore”, but I’ve got my eye on him.

And even though a big part of me today is screaming, "I WANT PIZZA!  I don’t want anything ‘cheeseless, meatless or crustless ever again”, I think there’s a Voice in my heart (whose Presence and Work continue to guide me every day), and the Voice is saying, “Enjoy life, but don’t be silly.”

Maybe this is too much of a stretch, but it seems to me that a lot of Christians have the idea that, since we live under Grace, we can do whatever we want, living a life that’s virtually “bulletproof”, thanks to our status as a child of God.  And with that I wonder if we take all of the ‘meat and cheese’ (real nutrition) out of what we believe, affecting how we live and worship? Are we making our churches so ‘ visitor friendly’ that we’ve lost any God-given  nutrition?  

Speaking of stories, I was driving the other day when a very old song came on the radio. I smiled as I remembered the words.  The title of the hymn is  “I Love To Tell The Story"; I’m sure most of you know the words.  In the second or third verse the lines went, “I love to tell the story, for those who know it best …”

My mind jumped ahead, trying to remember the rest of the verse.  Was it “and they’re sick to death of it?” …..or was it, “They have it all memorized and they’ve moved on to better things?”

No, it goes, "…for those who know it best, seem hungering and thirsting, to hear it like the rest!” That speaks to me today, as I think of pizzas and chocolate milkshakes.

Lord, make me hungry every day for the things I really need.

Our pastor preached a great sermon last week. He said, GET IN THE WORD, STAY IN THE WORD…….it’s the MEAT of who you are.  

Toodle loo  

Marsha

PS, Try singing it:

I Love to Tell the Story (by Kate Hankey, 1866)

I love to tell the story, Of unseen things above
Of Jesus and his glory, Of Jesus and his love

I love to tell the story, Because I know 'tis true

It satisfies my longings, As nothing else can do

I love to tell the story, 'Twill be my theme in glory
To tell the old, old story, Of Jesus and his love

 I love to tell the story, For those who know it best

Seem hungering and thirsting, To hear it like the rest

And when in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song
’Twill be the old old story, that I have loved so long.