Everyone has a particular item that they would consider themselves a die hard fan to that specific brand. It could be your laundry soap, classic coke, etc or even that you are a die hard fan of the grocery brand over the name brand. There are a few things I actually prefer the generic over the designer brand. This season I was trying to be more frugal with my spending and when I needed coffee on the go, I stopped at the local 7 Eleven. It was significantly cheaper, they had regular coffee and a huge assortment of little pods of various coffee flavor additives. Then I saw this big machine that pumped out flavored coffees, hot chocolate, lattes. Fall had arrived and pumpkin spice coffee had filled the machine. I must admit it was quite tasty. It was also 1/3 of the price for the equal size I would get at Starbucks. I was thrilled.
Today, I happened to be in desperate need of coffee. I wasn't near home & there was no 7 Eleven in sight. Just across the street from me I saw it... the big green and white sign. Starbucks was calling to me. Considering how much money I had saved all summer long, I decided to splurge and get a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. Amazing. First I was hit by the whipped cream on top, something you don't get at 7Eleven... with the sprinkle of cinnamon. Yum. Then as I really took in that first sip, it was like my taste buds called out "FINALLY"! It was like getting to see your best friend after 5 years apart. I realized that the 7 Eleven pumpkin spice coffee had nothing on Starbucks. It truly was better, I was more satisfied, and I didn't even regret the cost because it really was THAT good.
So what does this have to do with God? Proverbs 31? Sometimes, when we are looking for God, what we really get is God Light, or God Express. We seek out a quick fix, so we hit google to search for someone's answer to our problems, from a godly perspective of course. Or, we read a book about our particular issue instead of turning to God's word, the Bible. In these instances we are getting some of what God is trying to communicate about an issue, but it isn't the same as what is actually read in HIS WORD.
We think it is good. It feels right. It seems in alignment, but we don't really know. We don't bother to cross reference it. Then Sunday morning rolls along, and if you are like me... Pastor starts reading from a selection and before you know it, you are not even listening to the Pastor anymore. You have kept reading, soaking in the Word, because you are getting it from it's true source.
Issues you may be struggling with, are now revealed black and white. Your heart is touched. And then those books and google searches don't account for much anymore. Yet, as Sunday becomes Monday, we fall back into our hectic lives and our bible gets set aside for Podcasts, Audio Devotionals, Christian Radio, inspiring books and google searches. In some cases, all of that gets set aside entirely and we rely on what we know (or think we know).
These other resources are good, but they are not like the real thing.
Just like the Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks being what I really wanted, no matter how I talked myself out of it... God's Word, His direct Word, is exactly what our soul longs for. We may catch ourselves moving from book to book to book, unsatisfied because we are not getting what we want out of it. When we get to God's Word, directly the source of truth, our souls are not only satisfied but crave more.
Psalm 119:103
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
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