October 20, 2006

Dear family and friends of WCPC:

I have a 75 galloon marine fish tank.  Salt water fish are more difficult to maintain than fresh water fish, so over the years I’ve lost a number of fish.  But finally I think I’ve figured out how to keep everything in the tank in balance.  It takes some work but I enjoy it and find the fish very relaxing to watch.

One of the easier things to do is to feed the fish.  With the type of fish I keep the recommendation is twice or even three times a day.  I normally feed them twice, but this simple thing, I can forget.  The end result isn’t pretty.  Recently I didn’t feed them either as much or as often I should have.  One of the larger fish decided to compensate.  It started to attack some of the smaller fish.  Now those fish are so frightened by their tank mate they hide in the rocks.  I rarely see them. Eventually, they will readjust and come out of hiding, but it will take some time.

As I consider the plight and status of my once happy tank I couldn’t help but think about how when we aren’t fed we can get pretty frightening.  My reference here isn’t to physical food, but spiritual food.  I’ve noticed that if I don’t feed my soul, my spirit regularly, I’m not all that pleasant a guy to be around.  I don’t even like being around me. 

Sometimes people who aren’t being fed spiritually can actually take out their frustration and stress on others, causing people close to them to run for cover and hide.  One pastor said that if he missed his daily quiet time (feeding times) with God more than once, he noticed it.  If he missed it twice, his family noticed it.  And if he missed it three times, his congregation noticed it. 

If we aren’t being fed physically, we can’t survive.  Eventually we’re die.  We aren’t meant to go without spiritual food either.  We may not die spiritually, but we won’t be much good to anyone around us. 

I want to encourage you.  Don’t miss your daily feeding times with God.  Spent time reading God’s Word.  Talk to God in prayer.  Find a good devotional daily tool, like “These Days” (available at WCPC) and use it often.  I can’t promise your growth as a disciple will be dramatic and you’ll see difference overnight.  I believe it takes time and often you can’t see the difference until you’re looking backward at the person you once were.  But I can promise if you omit this time, if you allow your spiritual intake to only be what’s offered on Sundays, you will be malnourished as a disciples and others will know and so will you. 

This Sunday we will gather around the Lord’s Table to celebrate the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.  We will also conclude our current series, “Life on the Vine,” as we focus on “Goodness.”  If you’re interested in reading the text before worship the Old Testament passage is from Exodus 33: 15 – 23 and the New Testament if 2 Peter 1: 3 – 9.

Your pastor,

David Jones