From The Pastor’s Desk:
Stay Hungry
Two brothers, Raynald and Edward, fought bitterly. Edward mounted war against Raynald, captured him alive, and imprisoned him in Nieuwkerk Castle.
But it was no ordinary prison cell. The room was reasonably comfortable. And there was no lock on the door—not a bolt, not a padlock, not a crossbeam. Raynald was free to come or go at will. In fact, it was better than that: Edward promised Raynald full restoration of all rights and titles on a single condition: that he walk out of that room.
Only Raynald couldn’t. The door was slightly narrower than a typical door. And Raynald was enormously fat. He was swaddled in it. He could not, with all his squeezing and heaving, get himself outside his cell. He might more easily have passed a camel through a needle.
So in order to walk free and reclaim all he’d lost, he had only to do one thing: lose weight. That would have come easily to most prisoners, with their rations of bread and water.
It did not come easily to Raynald. Edward had disguised a great cruelty as an act of generosity. Every day, Edward had Raynald served with the richest, sauciest foods, savory and sweet, and ample ale and wine to boot. Raynald ate and ate and grew larger and larger. He spent ten years trapped in an unlocked cell, freed only after Edward’s death. His health was so ruined, he died soon himself.
To reclaim his kingdom, all he had to do was stay hungry. (as told by Mark Buchanan, The Rest of God, p. 166)
As we enter into the holiday season, I’ve been thinking about feasting. What if we ate every day like we do on Thanksgiving Day? What if every meal looked like Christmas dinner, complete with the sweets and treats? Would it taste good? Would we even enjoy it after a while?
I’ve heard it said that without fasting, there can be no feasting. And that makes sense to me. If we never know what it feels like to be hungry, will we even appreciate it when we are fed?
I’m not opposed to feasting. Not at all. Thanksgiving is a wonderful day to eat heartily as a celebration of God’s generosity to us. So is Christmas. Pass the gravy, please.
But let me issue this challenge: before the day of banquet, spend a day or two eating sparingly. Skip a meal or two. Forego the bedtime snack. Allow your stomach to rumble. Make your body wonder where the food is. This is a spiritual discipline, to help us
appreciate what we have.
One thing that has stood out to me in the past couple of months is just how much we have compared to our brothers and sisters around the globe. We are much like Raynald in his unlocked cell. We can become prisoners of our own excess.
I say this, not to laden us with guilt, but to urge us to appreciate what we have. Don’t take it for granted. Don’t forget that it is a gift from God. Perhaps a little stomach growling is just the reminder we need of how blessed we really are.
As the children of Israel prepared to enter the Promised Land, Moses issued this
warning:
10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down… 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. (Deut. 8:10-12, 14)
Be careful when you eat well. Be careful when God lavishes blessings on you so that they feel like everyday experiences. Be careful lest you come to expect it or think you deserve it. What you have is a gift from God.
November Birthdays
Nov. 3 - Chase Jones
Nov. 6 - Jay Bushbaum
Nov. 7 - Beth Muilenburg
Nov. 8 - Brett Stirling, Daniel Thorne
Nov. 11 - Jamie Osterbuhr
Nov. 13 - Kristol Ulrich
Nov. 18 - Susan Negan
Nov. 19 - Ruth Seehusen
Nov. 30 - Wendy Dralle
November Anniversaries
Nov. 10 - Curt & Kelly Henrichs
Nov. 15 - Ryan & Kristen Fleshner
November Greeting & Refreshments Schedule
Nov. 2 - Matt & Michelle Eberline, Tim & Denise Junker
Nov. 9 - Judy Koenen, Wendy Dralle, Brett & Marissa Stirling
Nov. 16 - Ryan & Kristen Fleshner, Steve & Angie Van Ellen
Nov. 23 - Dave & Kelly Thorne, Dave & Sue White
Nov. 30 - Ethan & Shelby Ulfers, Robert & Kristen Wix
November Sound Schedule
Nov. 2 - Tim Junker
Nov. 9 - TBD
Nov. 16 - Matt Eberline
Nov. 23 - Ryan Fleshner
Nov. 30 - TBD
November Video Schedule
Nov. 2 - James Seehusen
Nov. 9 - Michael Shafer
Nov. 16 - Lucas Junker
Nov. 23 - Jodi Bangasser
Nov. 30 - TBD
November Praise Team Schedule
Nov. 2 - Praise Team 1 (Denise)
Nov. 9 - Praise Teama 2 (Ruth)
Nov. 16 - Praise Team 3 (Kelly/Greta)
Nov. 23 - Praise Team 4 (Denise)
Nov. 30 - TBD
What’s Happening in November
The Sunday Evening Seminars continue until November 16. Join us as we learn more about the hard to understand book of Revelation! Sunday evenings at 6:00 p.m.
Trinity Café is open Thursday mornings from 7:30-8:30 a.m. Come and catch up with your friends over a delicious breakfast.
The Fall Gospel Sing will be held Sunday, November 9, at 4:00 PM! Following the program our Youth Group will be serving a free will, fundraiser meal, of baked spaghetti, lettuce salad, garlic bread and bars! YUMMY!
The Community Thanksgiving Eve Service will be held at ACC on Tuesday, November 25 beginning at 6:00 PM
Ladies, make sure to sign up for the Christmas Lunch at the Peppercorn Pantry by November 30.