James Duff February 26th 2017 ~ Feeding Our Souls

I’m not a huge boxing fan but let me begin with a boxing analogy:  We have dragged ourselves off the canvas and are now back in the ring and fighting fit!  It is fair to say that it has not really been our doing but a huge team effort.  Thank you for all the prayers and unbelievable meals people have made for us as both Jane and I fought a nasty case of pneumonia.  We have felt deeply cared for and loved by you all.I’ve had plenty of time to read in between coughing up mucous and guzzling antibiotics.  I went back to some old classic writings to bring me comfort and nourishment, e.g. some C.S. Lewis, J.C. Ryle and I even took the time to read, probably the most famous sermon ever given outside of the Bible, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God by Jonathan Edwards.  Don’t let the title put you off because the sermon probably will!  (Joke, it has some great stuff in it.)  Once we had got the kids off to school, I found myself eagerly anticipating listening to Nicky Gumbel’s daily Bible devotion.  All this input into my soul was really precious to me in a time when I felt so physically dreadful.There was a famous book that came out in the early 90s called Chicken Soup for the Soul.  It was just a gathering of inspirational true stories that two motivational speakers had heard and then recorded, but it was a phenomenal success and went on to spawn a whole series of books. Chicken soup can bring nourishment for the body but we all need nourishment for our souls.  It is so easy to let our souls become sick or tired.  The point of this musing is that when we are down and out we need strong healthy nourishment to recover, whether it be physically, emotionally or spiritually.I’m not sure how your year has begun but mine has had a few false starts.  I’ve found myself feeling a little weary, frustrated and lethargic at times.  Our souls need exercise and rest; they need work and leisure.  Jesus said that all who come to him will never hunger or thirst spiritually again.  When we come to Jesus we will always be given more than we need (He is better than chicken soup!).  Our souls are replenished over and over by his grace and love.An invitation and challenge for us this year is to make sure that we are feeding our souls.  John Piper, who I would describe as a ‘theological junkie’, said that you can read 40 years of theology and not know the love of God.  It is a great thing to have sound theology, i.e. a solid understanding of how God made and interacts with his creation.  It is vital, however, to be coming consistently to the person of Jesus for our souls to be renewed, fed and cared for.  Reading our Bibles as much as we read the newspaper, praying as much as we daydream and joining in with the family of God as much as the bowls club, are all vital ways for our souls to be nourished and fed.BlessingsJames