Splash
Philippians 1:11 KJV
(11) Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Matthew 5:6 KJV
(6) Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
If you watched these past Olympics for any period of time at all, you saw something about Michael Phelps, the great American swimmer. Even when other events were broadcast, there was usually a little news ticker either in the corner or on the bottom that kept you up to date on his next swimming event and his latest movements. Something else you might have heard about Michael from several different sources was how much food he consumes every day. Here is the list as it was reported:
-For breakfast: three fried egg sandwiches, with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, fried onions and mayonnaise, followed by three chocolate-chip pancakes; a five-egg omelette; three sugar-coated slices of French toast and a bowl of grits (a maize-based porridge), washed down with two cups of coffee.
-For lunch: half a kilogram (one pound) of enriched pasta; two large ham and cheese sandwiches on white bread smothered with mayonnaise, washed down by energy drinks.
-For dinner: Another half-kilogram of pasta, perhaps with a carbonara sauce, followed by a large pizza and more energy drinks.
-That combination may not sound very healthy, and at a staggering 10,000 calories, would feed five average men for a day. (BBC)
After hearing this report and then looking his fat-free body standing next to the pool there are a few things that might be considered- the activity to which he is so faithful is requiring and getting a tremendous amount of fuel; to back off from the consumption would eliminate the possibility of success; that he better make some adjustments to his intake if he ever slows down on his swimming; he is enjoying food right now more than he ever will after his intense training agenda ends; he doesn’t ever skip a meal or forget to eat.
It’s interesting that the scriptures refer to the fruits of righteousness as something like food; that they will fill up and result in blessing for the one who consumes them. Like Michael meals, though, they have their greatest fulfillment and enjoyment as they are the requirement of a particularly intense regimen of pursuing God and His kingdom. It’s not possible to get very far with God skipping a meal here or there, and there is inversely a decrease of appetite for righteousness when the passionate pursuit of Him lessens. There is a purpose for being right in God that goes way beyond just enjoying a personal banquet. Partaking of the righteousness that is provided for us as a meal in Christ gives us the energy and power for the activity of righteousness, while living in love and vigorously seeking and acting out who we’ve been made to be in Christ causes those meals to be so much more greatly savored and enjoyed.
Getting in the pool today, making waves, splashing and keeping at it till the other end is reached will bring on this great appetite for a meal much larger than just a breakfast taco or bagel. What’s so great about sitting down at God’s table is that it’s one of those family style servings where you just keep piling on as much as you’re hungry for. May that hunger be a strong one brought on by intense activity that is faithful, obedient kingdom pursuit.
John 6:35 KJV
(35) And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
