Are you an MRE Christian?  When was the last time you cracked open your Bible or spent enough time listening during prayer that you actually received something from the Holy Spirit?  Do you only get spiritual nourishment through the latest mapped out plan from that hot new Christian author?

Walk in to any Christian book store today and you will be greeted with thousands of prefab successful ministries, step by step processes to spiritual nirvana, and a plan for everything you could possibly every want to do.  One worship resource I found recently literally set out themes, both for worship and for the preaching for an entire year.  The worship portion went so far as to list songs for every worship service, along with canned supporting prayers. 

I don’t want to unnecessarily denigrate these tools, but I fear we have become a people incapable of hearing the voice of God for ourselves.  There is much to be learned from both historical and contemporary Saints, and we would be unwise to ignore their contributions to the faith.  However, it seems the plenty we enjoy in the world of Christian resources has induced a spiritual slothfulness that cannot be beneficial to the long term mission of the church. 

The new mind should be filled to overflowing with creativity, not to mention an unbridled exuberance for our first love.  How real is our relationship with Jesus when we struggle with developing freshness in our spiritual lives?  I can understand using a resource to spark a lesson in a pinch, but how long has it been since you have had a home cooked spiritual meal?  We all look and act famished – and it is no wonder. 

The psalmist says, “Sing unto the Lord a new song!”  Jesus exhorted us not to worry beforehand about what to say when put on trial before the world, because the Holy Spirit will give us the words to say.  I don’t find anything in the Word that says that any of this just applies to the spiritual leaders and scribes of the day.  The next time you are tempted by a fast food meal, why don't you try some home cooking instead?

There are few things a soldier appreciates as much as a home cooked meal.  MREs serve their purpose, but they are for a pinch, not for consistent every day consumption.  Each of us has a veritable smorgasbord of the finest ingredients available scattered among the many shelves, tables, and desks in our homes.  Despite the time since we last looked at them, the ingredients are still fresh.  The master chef is standing by to help us create a masterpiece. 

I hope I have whet your appetite and you are salivating… so what are we waiting for?