Chocolate Mousses

Romans 12:1-2:- I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (ESV)

Accompanied by my mid-morning cup of tea, I started to eat my lunch early. As I opened up my chocolate mousse, it seemed to look back, unimpressed at me; brown, homogenous and indifferent, resolute in its container.

As I ate I considered the fate of all the millions of plastic cartons that would have proceeded down an assembly line somewhere, waiting in line, jostled and bumped, being filled in multiples of six cartons or more awaiting their individual story of consumption. I imagined the supervisor endeavouring to get the maximum throughput to meet his or her targets set by the factory manager, without under or over filling each set of cartons. I used to be involved with manufacturing of coffee many years ago. The noise, hustle and bustle still live in some dormant part of my being but now re-awakened by this thought.

I pondered the comparison between the world in which we live, where people live alongside each other and these mousse cartons, which would have been momentarily placed side by side. A world where families are shipped around the country in pursuit of some pressing thing, each to meet their own particular outcome, their contents consumed by the world and then laid aside.

The Kingdom of God, I believe, is not like this. Yes, we are called to be alongside our contemporaries but what we are filled with is of great worth. Each one of us is individually formed, cared for and fully known.

I think we are God's special offer to the world, to reveal by our diversity of salt and light the greater picture of God's love to those who will see Jesus in us, in what we say and do. Our use by date is open-ended, our seal everlasting. What are we filled with today?

Matthew 10:29-31:- Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (ESV)

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for Your gracious cleansing and filling. Lord, Thank You for making me, me. Sometimes I forget that this is part of Your plan. Today, please send me out into Your world refilled by Your Spirit and over-flowing with Your Joy, Compassion and Strength to the glory of Your Name. Amen.

Rod Marshal Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England