Meditate. What food brings you joy?
So go
ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart,
for God approves of this! Ecclesiastes 9:7
Think of tomorrow…or the days ahead. There are only two weeks left this year. What are your plans for next year? Have a happy heart…and take that into the next year. It is pretty well known that if we fail to plan…we plan to fail. This is true spiritually, as well as financially and physically. We need a plan and to follow it. God has given us a great book—that is actually made up of 66 different books. How much of it will you read next year? If you only read a few verses a day, that is OK—just that you are focusing on God and your relationship with Him. Every book, chapter, and word in the Bible has a purpose—and that is to know God and His will. He has a plan for humanity for eternity. That should give His followers a happy heart. Knowing how much God loves us—just feeling that basic emotion that is so necessary to life—brings joy—happiness to my heart—even without food, but food makes life so much more joyful.
Eat, drink and be merry—it is that time of the year to celebrate. Many of our celebrations center around food. Not too many of our Christmas traditions don’t include some food…or even just a mug of hot chocolate. I remember one of my favorite Christmas traditions was decorating the sanctuary of our church with other teens—wiring boughs of greenery to the altar rails and adding bows and bulbs. Very festive…and it smelled so good! Of course, that decorating time included singing Christmas carols while we worked and devouring Christmas cookies washed down with hot chocolate. Each Sunday during the holidays we got to revel in our work and feel the joy of the season.
The rest of the chapter of Ecclesiastes is dealing with death. It is best to keep the scripture text in context. Ecclesiastes is written by Solomon, son of David. He recorded a downer outlook on life—but over the years, things haven’t changed. Do you want to be rewarded…or remembered? Eventually, it won’t make any difference, according to Solomon. Loving, hating…whatever…is all gone when we die. Or is it? God’s plan is for us to live forever—either with Him or without Him. Personally, I want to be with him.
The same destiny ultimately awaits
everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad, ceremonially clean or
unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as
sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don't.
It seems so tragic that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. That is
why people are not more careful to be good. Instead, they choose their own mad
course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway. There
is hope only for the living. As they say, "It's better to be a live dog
than a dead lion!" The living at least know they will die, but the dead
know nothing. They have no further reward, nor are they remembered. Whatever
they did in their lifetime--loving, hating, envying—is all long gone. They no
longer play a part in anything here on earth. Ecclesiastes 9:2-6
 |
| Christmas Joy focuses on Jesus. The light of the world. Begin your celebration with Him... ...with or without food. |
Prayer ~ For
those reading this blog…I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you
completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow
with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Friday’s Feasting at the King’s Table
This is a time of the year when a hot drink is good to share with those who come to visit. Be sure to invite some friends, family, or neighbors to share some time with you during the next couple of weeks. Step outside your comfort zone and let Jesus’ light shine through you over a cup of hot chocolate, tea, coffee, or some other beverage. I found a couple of hot drink recipes in my sister’s recipe file, including a couple that included wine or brandy although Shirley wasn’t a big drinker. I don’t want to encourage anyone to take up drinking if they have alcoholic tendencies, but I am sharing this great German recipe of hers. Joyfully drink up!
Gluhwein
1 liter red
wine
1½ cup sugar
½ cup orange juice
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp whole cloves
2 sticks cinnamon
Rind of 1 lemon or orange cut into slices
Heat until almost boiling. Do not boil!!!
Serves 4.
(Note: alternatively, heat everything except the
wine to a boil for about 2 minutes, then simmer for about 30 minutes. Strain,
if you want. Add the wine, stir and serve.)
2 quarts water
4 cinnamon sticks
15-20 whole cloves
Boil for 5 minutes and strain.
Add:
1 quart black tea
¾ cup lemon juice
1 ¼ cup orange juice
1 quart apple cider
The recipe can be doubled for a larger group. Add less sugar if you prefer. The apple juice adds a lot of natural sweetness.
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