The Meal (Part 2 of 7)

The Meal (Part 2 of 7)

Preparation

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”

‭‭John‬ ‭15:1-3‬

Yesterday we went over the importance of the right ingredients for our relationship with God. Even one ingredient or wrong amount of something can throw the whole meal out of whack. 

Preparation of the meal is just as important as cooking (our next step). Each ingredient must be chopped, washed, minced, seeds or brown spots removed and even our cookware and utensils inspected. We can’t even begin to cook if we don’t have the right tools and if we haven’t made the proper preparation. Every try to dice and onion with a butter knife?

Once the ingredients have been determined, even if there is a recipe, the way we prepare the meal is so important. This is especially true if your meal has more than one item. 

Everything has to be ready at the same time. If one thing is done before everything else, you take the risk of that first dish cooling off before the others are done. Time is very important in the preparation process. You have to think ahead, have goals and a plan and keep moving. 

Preparation is so important in our Christian relationship with God. 

And let me stop here for a minute. I use Christian relationship as a term, because many other religions claim to have God in them. Only our relationship, the Christian relationship, is based on our faith in Jesus Christ through God’s sacrifice, mercy and grace. This is a relationship based on interaction and growth, not a religion. 

Back to preparation.  We can do a lot of things with the ingredients, however the way we prepare them is very important. 

We must get organized, make good use of our time and use the ingredients and tools properly. 

In our relationship with God, we must be sincere and earnest about what we are doing. If we spend time at church gossiping and talking about the days events or watching our watches, we are not worshipping our God. 

If we don’t remove distractions during our Bible study and reading times, our knowledge will suffer. Meal preparation requires concentration. Ever try to make a meal and have constant interruptions? This is the same with your devotional time, Bible reading or prayer time. Hard to do them when you have interruptions, disruptions or distractions. 

As such, preparations must be made for prayer.  Setting aside time, removing distractions and giving God your time first is very important. Things such as a prayer journal, blessings list and study notes can help keep you on track. 

The way we study can help us prepare our relationship with God. Our Bible knowledge helps us understand ourselves and gives us a place to go for the answers. It’s like returning to a recipe because you need a reminder of how long to prepare something or when to add an ingredient. 

We must make ourselves available, remove distractions and be obedient to our preparation for our time with the Lord. If we are sloppy in the way we prepare ourselves for God, our relationship can bad results. 

Just as we need to eat several times a day, we need to feed our spirit several times a day. We shouldn’t be in prayer with God once a day. We shouldn’t only read our Bibles in the morning. Church isn’t only for Sunday’s and Wednesday. 

A Bible sitting on the table is just a Bible sitting on a table. A Bible being read and studied is a tool that will change your life and build a relationship with God. 

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

‭‭John‬ ‭15:4-7‬