The Ragamuffin

I've been thinking quite a bit lately about the grace God showed us when he made some of the most basic necessities of life some of the most fun. Take for instance: food. I know, I know. I talk a lot about food... I love to cook it, I love to eat it, I love to take pictures of it, and, most of all, I looooove to gather good friends around it. Food is an absolute necessity for every person. Whether you're a fine-cuisine connoisseur or a 24/7 peanut butter sandwich kind of girl, if you don't eat something, you die. So, if it's only a basic need, why did God choose to make it good? He could have given us white bread and water to live on, and we wouldn't have known the difference. He made it good because he is good. We get to cook and eat and enjoy the huge variety of edibles we have at our fingertips because God loves us enough to bless us with joy in the basic need for nourishment that all humans possess.

What an incredible analogy for our dependence on Jesus. We need Jesus. Without him, we die. The saving blood of Jesus is the ultimate necessity for us to live, and in his mercy we find our vitality and nourishment. God could have stopped there. Just like the white bread and water, he could have told us that we need him, letting us robotically trust in him, and never experience his goodness for ourselves. But he didn't. He made us able to experience the depths of his grace and peace and joy. In the same way that we fundamentally need food, but also get to enjoy its different flavors alongside the satisfaction that it gives our hungry bodies; when we trust in God and seek his presence, we get to experience the different facets of his goodness and grace. We taste, and see that the Lord is good. (Hah. See that? God used this metaphor way before I did.)

We need Jesus. More than we need food, more than we need friends or family, and more than we need a roof over our head. He is the ultimate and most vital necessity we have. He also is the source of all our joy and peace. He created us both to need him and to enjoy him. How cool is that? Spend some time recognizing his goodness throughout your day, and thank him for being so gosh-darn fun to love.