Trail Mix - Ingredient Number Two

       A few days ago we talked about ways to sustain our energy for living the Christian life -- for doing the right thing and staying in step with God.  Just as the mix of dried fruits and nuts (trail mix) is good food for hikers to take with them on their treks, so we need good spiritual food to give us sustenance as we live the Christian life.   

       We discussed the importance of prayer.  Prayer keeps us close to God.   We should never under estimate the importance and power of prayer.  Having a way to talk with our Heavenly Father brings great comfort and joy.  

      It is said prayer is how we speak to God and reading God's word is how He speaks to us.  This is true.  The Bible is God's message to us and for us.  
        So it only makes sense to say the second ingredient of our spiritual trail mix is the study of God's word.  Again, I'm not revealing some deep dark secret here.  We all know how helpful studying the scriptures can be.  We fortify our souls through Bible study.         
      As we study and learn of Christ and His ministry, we gain encouragement from the example He set for us.  We also gain an understanding of His immeasurable love and mercy.  The story of Christ is truly a story of love.  

       The only way we get to Heaven is through Christ.  Jesus says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).   The only way to know Him is to read His story ... to read of all the good He did ... of His great compassion and love for us.  The only way to know what He expects of us - and He does expect us to obey Him -- is to study the scriptures.   
       The Bible is a great tool for us.  We study to find out God's truth.  If we love Him like we say we love Him, why wouldn't we want to find out what He is saying to us?  I must admit, sometimes I fall far short in this area too.  
      We need God's word to keep us on the right path.  As we read examples from the great characters recorded in the Old Testament, we learn what it means to love God  -- to walk with Him.  We learn from otherwise quite ordinary people what faithfulness and obedience is.  And we learn about the majesty and splendor of our Creator.  These writings encourage us -- give us strength and hope.  
       The writings of the New Testament give us the wonderful story of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  They also give us instructions for living a righteous life in the Christian age.  We shouldn't depend only on our minister's lessons to know what to do or to keep us in touch with God.  This is a personal responsibility.  
       Any relationship must be nurtured in order to be maintained and to grow.  Building a friendship with someone means learning about them and spending time with them.  Additionally, spending time in the scriptures allows us to grow our relationship with God.
      We find peace and calm in knowing we are striving to live as Christ would have us to live.   We gain that living hope Peter mentions in 1 Peter 1:3.  We draw comfort and joy from knowing God rewards those who diligently seek Him.  (Hebrews 11:6). 
      I listed Bible study as the second ingredient in our spiritual trail mix and yet prayer and Bible study go hand in hand.   Both are essential.  Both are commanded (ah, but one must read the scriptures to know this).  Both are extremely beneficial.  And they work better together.  Truly they do.  
      For many of us, the Bible never gets old.  Those inspired words never lose their relevance.  We never stop learning.  Each time we study, we can find some new treasure - some new lesson -- some new way to apply the Truth to our daily walk.  We live a better life when we follow God's word.
     Knowing this doesn't mean I always find time to study my Bible on a daily basis.  I allow myself to get distracted by the busyness of  everyday living.  I make excuses for myself (and that is what they are -- excuses).  But even confessing this doesn't make it entirely right.  It is up to me to make it right. 
      I can tell you though -- my day goes better when I spend time with God through Bible study and prayer.  I know I need to do better and I know it is never too late to start doing the right thing!  Besides, who gives me (us) our time anyway?  
      Our very life comes from God.  He is the one who gives us our day.  Doesn't it make sense to give part of it back to Him?   The benefits are strength and energy to keep going.  
      
      After all, there are great rewards in staying on the trail.

           "And let us not grow weary of doing good, 
            for in due season we will reap, if we faint not."                                                                                                  (Galatians 6:9)

Christ above all things, 
Robin 

   

      

Trail Mix - Ingredient Number One

      Trail Mix -- is defined as "a mixture of seeds, nuts, and dried fruits eaten as a snack especially by hikers"  (Merriam-Webster on line dictionary).   Except nowadays, I think trail mix is eaten by many folks who do not hike at all.  It is sold in vending machines across the country .... and if you are anywhere near a vending machine, the chances are you aren't out on a hike, right?  
       Trail mix is an energy food easy to store and carry.  The mixture contains carbohydrates which give a quick boost of energy and "good" fats in the nuts provide sustained energy.  I can see why it became popular for hikers and those who spend a lot of time outdoors working or playing.  
      Many find it very tasty as well.  For this reason, it is a fairly popular snack food regardless of the activities in which we participate.  So what does Trail Mix have to do with anything here? 
     Well just like hikers need energy to sustain them on their journey, so we need spiritual energy to sustain us on our Christian journey.  Three key ingredients for spiritual trail mix are: the study of God's Word, prayer and Christian fellowship.  These three simple components make for a wonderful journey through life. 
    This isn't anything new.  We hear it frequently from our ministers and Bible school teachers.  We all know what is necessary for a successful Christian life.  So some might be thinking, why bring this old information up - yet again?  
    Well, we need to be reminded of the basics - or at least I do!  And we must ask ourselves honestly, how often do we make use of this Christian "trail mix?"  Do we regularly put all three together on a consistent basis and draw on the energy it provides?  Do we practice what we know to be true?
     As I think of these "ingredients" I realize discussing all three in one post would make for quite a lengthy dialogue. So I guess I am committing to a "series" here.  Individually, each one of these basics are highly beneficial.  Together, 
they pack a powerful punch!  Together they give us the necessary nutrients to make it for the long haul!! 
      I don't say any one of these is more significant than any other.  All three are very necessary.  Each ingredient plays a vital role in the Christian life.  And yet I have to start somewhere or I don't get started at all.  
    Prayer is so important.  Prayer truly makes one feel closer to God.  I can't imagine my life without prayer.  And yet, I know I should pray more often.  Sometimes I get totally preoccupied with other things and forget what is truly important.  
     Talking with God should be one of the priorities in our daily lives.  Praying reminds us to depend on our Father. When we approach the throne room in prayer we are communing with Him.  We are truly close to God when
 we pray.  
     Our choice to pray means we choose to come to our Heavenly Father.  We are making a conscience choice to be with Him - really with Him.  Our Creator strongly desires to be with us; but He wants to long for closeness to Him.  
     From the moment our children are born, we want to be with them.  We want to take care of them -- to provide for their every need.  We love holding them and bestowing our love upon them.  They depend on us ... and when they are very young they are very attached to us.  
    As children grow older, their worlds get a little bigger and it isn't all about Mommy and Daddy anymore.  They become more independent.  Yet they still come to us in times of trouble -- we are still the care-givers and the problem solvers.   And we still love them just as much and long to be with them -- and to make them happy.  
    By the time our children become teenagers their worlds are even larger and they have learned to do so many things for themselves.  Their needs for us become fewer and fewer; they spend less and less time with us.  But our love for them hasn't changed.  It never changes.  We long for just a few minutes .... just a few .... to be with them, to talk to them.  Any time we have with them becomes time we treasure.
      As much as we love our children, God loves us ever so much more!  He only wants to be with us -- to hear from us -- to have us ask Him for anything.  HIS LOVE NEVER CHANGES.  We might walk away from Him.  But He stands and watches and waits for us ... just like the father of the prodigal.  God has always only ever wanted to be with His children.  
      Prayer puts us in fellowship with God.  As we pray - we learn to seek Him.  Our love for Him grows stronger and our faith in Him ever increases.  We desire to please and obey Him.  
      Prayer changes us.  The more we pray the more we change  - for the better.  And talking with our Father makes life here on earth better -- easier.  It gives us the strength to go on until we can be with Him forever.
     Christ our Savior prayed throughout His life and right up to His death on the cross.  He communed with God all night long before He chose the twelve apostles.  He prayed before He fed the five thousand.  Christ prayed to His Father before He brought Lazarus forth from his tomb.  
        Jesus prayed frequently.  He spoke of the importance of prayer and taught His disciples to pray.  He even prayed for His future followers.  Read John chapter 17 and one can't help but be touched by our Lord's heartfelt prayer.  Then He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane and finally on the cross He lifted up His voice to His Father. 
       If prayer was important to Christ, what makes us think it's not?  How can we possibly imagine we can get through life without it?   
     Jesus never used the term "trail mix."  But He certainly knew prayer was needful for strength to keep us going.  If one ever needed proof  of this, it is found in Luke 18:1.

     "And He told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart."  
      
Christ above all things, 
Robin Whitley