I Needed That

Most people don't credit Davis for much in terms of being a place with a lot of "things to do," but I have noticed one thing: there are a lot of different places to eat. There's Chinese, Mediterranean, Mexican, Japanese, Italian, American, Indian, Vietnamese, and Korean; There's Pluto's when I feel like a salad, 10 different pizza parlors, Wendy's, Quizno's, and Carl's Jr. These are places and types of food that I've patronized/ingested here in Davis, and that's probably not 3/4 of the places I've been to, and even less than all of the good eating establishments out there. I would say that I've had a lot of really good food. The irony is, that when I'm meeting with someone for a bite to eat and they say, "Max, what do you want?," nothing comes to mind. I'm not indecisive, I'm just O.K. with everything. I'm always hungry, but I'm never starving. So after a while, they'll say, "How about mexican food?" At that point, this image of a steaming Chicken Super Burrito floats into mind's eye and I can almost taste it. Or they'll say, "How about Chinese?," and I can almost smell the General Chicken and fried rice. I've tasted so much good food, that I sometimes forget; all I need is someone to remind me.

I've been blessed with the chance to have a relationship with Jesus, and I can't even convey how much of a blessing it has been. I can't even remember all of the times that I've given up my fears and doubts to GOD, how many times I've been inspired, challenged, and moved by GOD's GOD-breathed word, the number of prayers he's answered, and the number of times I fell at his feet his answer was no. A relationship with Jesus is so personal, so intimate, and so eternal that since I've come to know him, I've formed countless memories of GOD's faithfulness, mental images of mountaintop highs and long shadowy valleys; experiences, inumerable experiences that all weave together to form my faith.

This relationship is so engrossing and eternal that sometimes it just lays in the back of my mind, not forgotten or ignored, but simply there. I roll out of bed every morning, jump in the shower, shove food in my face, go to class, come home, work, and sleep. I have a lot of responsibilities and commitments that I enjoy fulfilling for GOD's glory, but it's the times in my life when I catch a glimpse into the relationships that other people have with Jesus that I'm reminded of how good GOD is to me. When I see someone with their hands raised in worship, or listen to someone pour out their heart in prayer, or see tears stream down the face of someone overcome with the beauty of Christ, I am reminded of the pure, unadultered joy that it is to taste and see that the Lord is good. I've experienced GOD, and I know that GOD is always with me; but it is those times in which I see the holiness, purity, joy and life of the presence of GOD in someone else's life that my heart swells, and I'm moved to pursue Him all the more. The beauty of community is that when the fire of my passion for GOD burns low, it takes but a spark from another to have it roaring again. It's all there; I just need to be reminded. I just love to be reminded.

The body of Christ is awesome. I needed that.

I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong — that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. (Romans 1:11-12)

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep." The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." (John 21:15-17)