2:158 – Indulge and Explore

#faithbites #faithjourney indulge

I am sitting in my hotel in Virginia, drinking a caramel Breve and eating complimentary caramel popcorn and peanut brittle. This was after a day of travel and trying new pizzas like Macaroni and Cheese and Buffalo Chicken. The highlight was exploring downtown in the rain and talking to new people.

I don’t get a chance to go out by myself that often. Does that mean I don’t like my life? Of course not. I am blessed with my wife, children, friends, church, and everything God has given me. Sometimes, it is OK to indulge in the bounty that God has made and explore his creation. It is OK to meet new people, share a new conversation or a new food item, and just be in the moment.

We need these little moments to remember who we are as a person, to re-energize us, and help us focus on being the best parent, spouse, worker, servant, or whatever God has planned for us.

Even though I miss my wife and kids, I am not going to feel guilty for indulging and exploring just a bit.

Scripture

• There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? – Ecclesiastes 2:24
• The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. – John 10:10

Reflection

Both of our verses point to one thing: Everything has come from God including abundant life. We should find enjoyment in our work (toil) and in everything that God has given to us. He made the people in the world. He gave them the skills to create interesting pizza combinations and coffee concoctions.

Maybe look at John 10:10 and see the first part. That the thief (or sin or the world or the devil) comes to destroy. This is true. There is over indulgence and indulging in sin or exploring the dark side of humanity. But I focus on the second part: Jesus came to give us life and have it abundantly.

God wouldn’t have made this world if he didn’t want us to interact with each other. In the beginning, he told Adam and Eve they could do whatever they want excpet eat from the tree of the knowledge of God and Evil. Wanting to indulge and explore is a healthy outlet. I, and I suspect many of us, need to do it more often to stay closer to God, closer to what’s important, and be more balanced.

Charge

This is a tough one, fair warning. Take time to indulge and explore. Go and walk around your town by yourself. Try a new drink or a new dinner place. Talk to someone new. These are all a bit scary because we have to step outside of our comfort zone and take time for ourselves. Things I know I”m not good at. If you do these things in God’s name, you will be rewarded.

Prayer

Heavenly Lord, thank you for safe travels today. Thank you for the time to reflect on my life, explore Roanoke, and indulge in new food. Help us all to take the time for ourselves that we need to reflect, rejuvenate, and re-energize. Give us the knowledge to balance our work lives, our family lives, our alone lives. These pieces make up who we are. Many times we neglect one or many and fail to live up to your promise. Help us with this Lord. Lord, be with my family as I am not home, as well as everyone else who is traveling or away from their loved one. You give us this time to explore and indulge so we can be better servants of your word. In your name, Amen.