Chocolate

            Chocolate. Just the word chocolate evokes certain emotions in people. The majority of people I know usually respond with a hearty yes or mmmmm and a smile. I do know a few people who do not like it, it’s alright though, we can still be friends. As I considered my response to a bit of chocolate yesterday it occurred to me that it isn’t just the taste; eating chocolate is an experience in taste, texture, aroma and pleasure. Personally, my preference is plain milk chocolate. I prefer to bite through it without interruption and allow it to melt on my tongue.
            Then I made the comparison of chocolate to my faith walk; is that an experience too? What type of experience is it? Does my faith cause other to smile and crave a knowledge of what I have in my walk with Christ? Is my faith experience as rich as or better than a chocolate experience? Actually, I would say yes but I don’t know if it is as apparent to others as it is to me. How about you?
            The faith walk isn’t about having all the answers; it is far deeper than that. Our faith walk is our testimony and our testimony is about our experiences in life and how we include God in all our experiences. Faith is what moves us forward in confidence knowing that God is in control. We may not know what the earthly outcome may be but we know the eternal outcome and that what we have here is temporary. We may struggle and question yet ultimately we have the blessed assurance that good will come from our circumstances. The good may not be to us rather to the by-stander observing us. God gives us the opportunities to plant the seeds of faith in others and the Holy Spirit will cultivate those seeds.
            Consider the words and actions you choose to employ in any given situation carefully. You and I are working in the mission field of the world 24/7. Never doubt that someone is watching you; it may be your child, your friend, your enemy, a stranger or God himself. Let the outsider have a taste of the rich experience you know as faith.
Matthew 9:36-38 "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to the disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into the harvest field."



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