While traveling on the road recently I stopped for lunch at a restaurant that, as it turned out, offered a buffet. A fairly comprehensive spread, the buffet included multiple meat options, an extensive medley of vegetables, a salad bar, and an assortment of desserts. Like most buffet eaters, I selected several choices that appealed most to my palate and ignored the others. It reminded me that the two great attractions of a buffet-style meal are: a) the breadth of options and, b) the opportunity to select exactly what you want. Nothing makes it on your plate unless you like it; and if you like it, then go ahead and pile it on. I think that explains the popularity of buffets despite the pedestrian quality of food. You pick what you like and take as much as you desire, and leave everything else alone.
Many of us approach the Christian faith as if it were a spiritual buffet. We select those teachings of Jesus that appeal to us and refuse to follow those with which we disagree. We create a faith based on what we want rather than on what Christ taught. Does God’s mercy interest you? Then add a helping to your faith. Yearn for Jesus’ forgiveness? Make sure you incorporate that into your beliefs. Care for God to bless you? Take a double portion. Desire God’s love? Feast on as much as you need, since it never ends. Relentless demand exists for this side of the faith buffet, which includes God’s grace, hope, joy, peace, and promises. No surprise that we emphasize these features of the Christian faith since they comfort, inspire, and encourage us. Each represents a critical characteristic of God and we can embrace them with confidence. The Lord indeed is a God of mercy, forgiveness, love, grace, hope, peace, joy, promise, and blessing. For that we can be grateful.
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