Lunch

Do you ever wonder just what would happen if the world stopped meeting for lunch? Think about this for a moment. We meet our friends for lunch, we do business over lunch, we drive across town to eat lunch...we are a people on the move - especially between the hours of 11 and 1. Imagine the lack of traffic and the destruction that would occur in our economy if we all stayed at home or in the office and had a bowl of cereal instead!

Do we give God the same priority in our lives that we give to that lunch date? I venture to guess we are more anxious to drive 10 miles to reach our favorite food joint, than we are to travel the same distance for a Christian event. God wants us to be even more excited about meeting with Him than any other dining companion!

That said, I recently returned from a wonderful two hour lunch with a dear friend. It was even more special because she picked up the tab! ;) No really, the two hours was spent speaking of the things of God, and how He is moving in our midst - changing our lives, and transforming our character.

The confessions of close friends are so dear, and they truly do reveal the heart of God. Whether our personal struggle is over edifying others with our words, or our "stick-to-it-iveness" of our obedience to the path God is leading us down, it is easy to see how God develops a person...patiently, distinctly, concisely, and in layers. God will continue to refine the process throughout our lifetime - in many facets of our spiritual growth.

Our character is built one choice at a time, one level of maturity at a time. The same category He works on us in one situation will be revisited in the future - but at each lesson point, God will refine His dealings with us, to bring forth a refined level of character and integrity in us.

Praise God for good friends, and good food. Praise God for His fingerprints on our lives! Praise God that out of the overflow of our heart we see our words describing the fruit of God's labor - the refinement of our character.

Much love in Christ,
JD