I was talking to a friend the other day and the tv show, "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" came up. It is one of my favorite shows. If you haven't seen it, chef Guy Fieri travels the country checking out the unique mom & pop / local eateries, looking for the best local food in an area. Now, here's a guy (no pun intended...) that is an accomplished chef, founder of at least two restaurant chains and has published his own recipes. Why would someone want to see what else is out there? He already knows how to cook, not just for himself, but to the enjoyment of other people. What could he possibly learn?
One of my favorite episodes was at a small cafe in Seattle, Washington. The owner/chef cooked soups and sandwiches for his customers. Nothing special there, except he was using a hot plate, toaster oven and a crock pot. No kitchen, no fancy stove, no special cooking tools. But, WOW, his customers loved the food. It was cooked with care and with his own unique twist on "home-made style" comfort food. Fieri just couldn't believe how good the food was and how well the customers responded.
Each show is filled with food and fun, but in a special and unique way done by the local restaurant. Alligator stew in Louisiana, Gulf Coast fish in Mississippi, BBQ in Utah, steaks in Nebraska, clam chowder (chouda) in New England. All good food. All done in different ways.
My friend said, "You know, church is like that, too. We can be a Christian for many, many years, but can always learn something new about our walk with Christ when we listen to others. Its like learning from their recipes on life" Wow... What a great comment!
The Bible teaches us to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Many times I wonder, why should I take the extra effort and go to church? Is it to worship God? Sure, but I do that in my quiet time. Is it to learn about His Word? I do that in my study time. Is it to feel His presence? I feel Him at many different times and places.
No, church can be for all of those things; but it can be something more. It can be the place where we visit or share; where others are facing challenges just like me, on the road to Heaven. When fear comes, what recipe did you use? When heartache happens, what comfort food meant the most to you? When the storm blew through your home, what hotplate dinner or crock pot stew, got you through?
We are all learning to use what we have and trying to make something great out of it. Just like a good cook, the care put into the meal is just as important as the ingredients. God places His Word, His Love and... His People around us. It is then that we are asked to put those three flavors into our life and allow Him to create something great.
Revelation 12:11 says that we overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. What a great name for our recipe book. "The Word of our Testimony" book of good cookin'.
Next week, when I go to church. I will be going with a different outlook. I want to stop working only on my own cooking. I want be excited when I am around so many other chefs. New ones, experienced ones, all those in between. Chefs with heart and love. I want to learn their recipes and all the ways they have found to add God to their life, and how that has made everything taste better.
- Blessings, Bobby
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Amen to that! When we don't fellowship with other believers on a regular basis, it's easy to stagnate in our walk. We need that fellowship and accountability almost as much as we need the gospel. If all we ever do is study the Word and don't share it and what it means to us, what's the point?
ReplyDeleteXandra
Great writing! Makes me think of (and miss) the "testimony services" that we used to have when we were kids. You learned something about each other's walk with the Lord and how we have struggled and how we have overcome. The encouragement we receive from each other can give us just the "extra ingredient" we need to make it through the next week.
ReplyDeleteGreat thoughts, Bobby! Glad to have found you!