Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Spiritual Provender

I once heard a preacher sneer at the idea of coming to church to be fed. We aren't supposed to come to get something but to worship, he insisted.

Worship is a big part of why we go to church. We connect with God at church (and in our closet and many other places). But we also go to church for the food.

A wise man once told me that no one comes to God for the right reasons. We all come for the wrong ones and then stay. Gradually we discover what the right reasons are.

You can come to church, supposedly to worship, but in reality to show off, to meet with friends, to look holy -- or to control people under you.

We look to those in the pulpit to break us the word, to feed our spirits with the holy meat of the word. If they sneer at that part of their ministry, they don't understand the kingdom of God.

I will delight in the Lord's provender, from whatever source it comes, and I won't be ashamed to admit when I'm hungry.