“REED” This

Missing Out?

Another Tuesday and another Taco Tuesday lunch. Only today, some of the tacos have been removed from the special. No longer are shredded chicken tacos included. Only ground beef tacos are included in the Taco Tuesday special. Why would they do this? Were too many people eating the chicken tacos instead of beef? Is chicken now more expensive than beef? Is there a shortage? I would think there are a lot more chickens in chicken houses around than cattle roaming in pastures. Why limit the special to only ground beef? To say I was a little disappointed … would be correct. Really, just a little. I usually do get chicken tacos, but I’m not that upset about having to pay an extra dollar for one. The chicken is tasty enough to be worth the extra dollar. But it was nice when we got them a dollar cheaper.

Any time you have something taken away from you, there is some disappointment. It was nice to have what you had. That something or someone brought you joy or made you feel good in one way or another. Some people are afraid to follow Christ because they think God will take away or limit them from enjoying some things in life because they are not things a Christian should do. They think they will no longer have any fun. But God doesn’t take anything good away from His children. That’s Satan’s trick, causing a person to think they will miss out on all the fun stuff if he/she begins to follow Jesus. Jesus said Himself in John 10:10, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” Jesus wants to give us all the good stuff. The authentic good stuff. He wants to give us true lasting joy and fulfillment in life. Satan wants to steal that from us and only give us lies by tempting us with things of this world that will not last and only bring emptiness. The happiness he proposes doesn’t last because it is superficial.

When we follow Christ, the things of this world that looked so pleasing and alluring no longer have the luster they once had. We now see them as the empty distractions they actually are. John writes in 1 John 2:15-17, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” As we follow Christ, we recognize the empty attractions of sin and this world more and more and begin to understand true joy, true happiness, true satisfaction, and true fulfillment comes only from God and following Him and His ways. We see the things of this world that once looked like fun can and will harm us. They ultimately bring pain and regret and no lasting fulfillment because they are not of God.

The apostle Paul encourages us in Colossians 3:1-2, “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” As we do this, the things of this world become less and less tempting because we realize we aren’t missing anything. We have life with Jesus now and will forever be with Him in glory.

Bro. Paul Reed

Tuesday, March 29, 2022