By
Melanie Rigney
“Come, eat of my food,
and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live;
advance in the way of understanding.” (Proverbs 9:5-6)
Taste and see the goodness
of the Lord. (Psalm 34:9a)
Therefore, do not continue
in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord. And do not
get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and
playing to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks always and for everything in
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. (Ephesians 5:17-20)
Jesus said to the crowds: “I
am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will
live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the
world.” (Mark 5:41-42)
Piety
Lord, fill
me to the brim with faith and love.
Study
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The Greek island of Ikaria is one of
the world’s “blue zones,” where people live longest. The
New York Times a few years ago wrote about this place of 10,000 people
and what makes it special. A local doctor cited factors such as staying up and
rising late and a lack of concern about time or money. “It’s not a ‘me’ place,”
he told the writer. “It’s an ‘us’ place.”
That is not the world most of us live
in. We get up early and stay up late. We couldn’t live without our watches,
alarm clocks, timers, reminders, and phones telling us when we have to be
somewhere… and when we’re running late. We care about money; we care a lot
about money and the things it brings us, often to the detriment of our
relationships with God, family, and friends. There’s a lot of “me” in our
world, much more than “them” or “him.” Color our zone red, most of the time,
red for rushed, angered, fearful, emotional in so many unhealthy ways.
It strikes me that the long life those
who live on Ikaria has some parallels with the kingdom to which the Lord
invites us to prepare for here on earth. The food is simple and ample. The
focus is not on ourselves, but on others… and, in the case of heaven, on Him.
While Ikaria sounds like paradise on
earth, the paradise in the next life sounds even more idyllic: fed to
satiation. Singing and playing with our friends to the Lord, giving thanks
always. Never, ever being remorseful about what we ate, never drinking to
excess. Always having our fill. And best of all, that life doesn’t require a
move to an isolated island. It simply requires following the One where He calls
here… and beyond.
Action
Turn off all your electronics and take
off your watch after you read this. See how long you can remain in conversation
with the Lord without inviting or accepting a distraction. Tomorrow, attempt to
stay in the blue zone a few minutes longer. Repeat.
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