Daily Reflections on Jn. 6:25-59 (Having My Cake and Eating Too)

I was recently talking with a friend of mine, an elder of another church, about what was happening in his church. He was recounting the sad story of a fallen staff member and the troubles that the church and leadership had endured over the last year. After a series of probing questions about the nature, make up, identity of the church, I asked where he thought they were going as a church. They had seen some growth which was obviously stymied for the time being. He wanted to see the growth continued but wondered how it effected the differing contingents of members, new and old. He finally said to me, "I think our leadership would like to have their cake and eat it too."

Boy, wouldn't we all. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people tell me, things like, "I'd like to have a large active church with a small church dynamic or feel." "I'd like to see lots of people come to Christ and keep the intimacy of a small church, where we know everyone." "I'd like to reach out to young people and keep things exactly they way they are." "I'd like to have a contemporary service with old time gospel music."

Basically, I'd like to have my cake and eat it too. Many of us approach our faith that way. We'd like to see God's will happen in our lives or in our church, but we'd also really like to have it our way. God's I'm all for it, as long as I like it, as long as it please me or meets my approval. Let's compromise God. I'll be faithful to you as long as it's according my standard, likes or preferences.

In John 6, the people following Jesus wanted their cake their way. Actually they were looking for an endless supply of bread. After the feeding of the 5,000, the crowd hounded Jesus for more food. They proclaimed that Moses fed the people with manna from heaven, why couldn't Jesus do the same thing for them. Follow Jesus around, enjoy the fellowship and get a free meal every day. Not a bad gig. I'd be doing my spiritual thing, listening to Jesus teach, hanging out with Him all day, don't have to work, get filled up. Have cake and eat it too.

The parallels are so striking to us today, especially among the churches of the US. "Feed me, feed me," is the cry heard from the pew. "Dazzle me, entertain me, send me manna from heaven with your amazing communication skills." "Bless me, give me a moving experience." Cake and eat it too.

When the crowd pressed Jesus, he told them, "You want bread sent from heaven? You're looking at Him. I'm bread sent from heaven. I'm the bread of life." What? How can Jesus be the bread of life, the bread sent from heaven? That was their question. It's not exactly what they had in mind. In fact, they started grumbling. Hey, we came to watch God do His thing, get wowed by a miracle or two, grab lunch on you. How 'bout it Jesus?

Sorry, no cake and eat it too. Jesus went on to say that unless they eat His flesh and drink His blood they didn't have any life in them. Ultimately what happened was that since they weren't going get what came for they weren't having any part of it so they decided to go back to their old ways. Instead of jumping in full bore with Jesus and experiencing something greater than their ancestors did, they decided their plans, their ways were more comfortable. They walked away. Lifeless. Empty. Hungry. Thirsty.

If you want real life, everlasting life, if you want to connect with God and enjoy real fellowship with Him you got to give up your cake and take a slice of the bread of life. And once slice isn't really enough. You have to eat it everyday. Jesus has to become you're exclusive diet.

God, I'm guilty. Having my cake and eating it too sounds awfully good, but I know it isn't very satisfying. I like things they way I like them. I'm interested in my comfort and my pleasure. I can't help but wonder where I'd be in the crowd that day. Eating your flesh and drinking your blood is hard sometimes, yet just like the disciples, I know that you alone have the words of eternal life. There's really no place, no other diet I'd rather have than you. Give a slice of the bread from heaven today.

Daily Reflections on Prov. 23:12 (Indulgence)

We've gone from being an obese nation to a morbidly obese nation. In others words, experts are saying that we've gone beyond a nation with a lot of overweight people, to a nation of people who are really fat. Indulgence is the name of the game. Walk into any restaurant and you'll be served up a meal with three times our daily necessary calories. We've even turned calorie free coffee into a sugar laden, gut busting latte. Oh and don't forget the extra whip.

Overindulgence pretty much marks our culture. We have very little discipline. Something new comes out and we have to have it. That's why our credit cards are maxed out and our personal debt looks like Mt. Vesuvius. We can't control our spending any more than we can control our waist lines. But the same thing is true when it comes to virtually anything else from sex to video games. We're an addictive society. We just can't seem to know when to quit, to lay off, to walk away, to push back.

Our habits have created health problems, financial problems, relationship problems, perspective problems, time problems, emotional problems, and spiritual problems. Our self-gratification gene and our lack of self-discipline has our life spiralling out of control.

Recently I picked up Dr. Michael Roizen's book, "You on a Diet." It's an interesting and informative albeit sarcastic read on eating and health habits of most Americans. It's not so much that we're all a bunch of couch potatoes, which is probably true; it has more to do with our lack of focus and discipline. Solomon, the richest man who has ever lived, talks of the virtue of self-discipline in Proverbs 23:12. He urges us to apply discipline to our life and to diligently seek understanding or knowledge. The point being so that we won't fall into a self destructive lifestyle.

January is a great month to start new goals. Many make New Year's Resolutions but quickly fall back into old patterns. Killing old destructive or unhealthy habits aren't easy. Starting new ones and getting them implemented in our life is even harder. Self discipline isn't necessarily the simplest path to follow. Start a new exercise program and you have to deal with soreness. That's enough to throw the whole "get healthy" plan out the window. But staying with it is what is necessary to get the desired results.

I like what Roizen points out in his book, plan for failure and be ready to make a "You-turn." Discipline is about getting back on the path after your side trip. As you continue to seek knowledge and understanding from God, you'll be quicker to recognize and avoid the things that get you off-track and you'll enjoy a much healthier, stress free life.

God, thanks for Your Word and Your Spirit to guides us, instruct us, and to help us stay focused in the right direction. Thanks for caring enough about my life to give me the help I need. I confess, that without you in my life I would be a total mess. Give me the insights and discipline through Your Spirit to live a healthy, abundant life.