JDL - Direction Fifty-one - Spiritual Shopping

Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 12:3 (ESV))

We understand the importance of going to the grocery store. Perhaps we make a list of the things we need. Maybe we check several ads to make sure we are getting a good deal. We may even check to see what coupons we have in order to save a few more cents. We may even heed the advice of those who tell us not to go to the grocery store on an empty stomach, so we eat before we go. But most importantly, we go. We go to the grocery store and get food which we bring back home and put in our pantry so that we have food to prepare and eat. If we do not go grocery shopping then we will not have any groceries in our pantry and we will soon run out of groceries and have nothing to eat. Unless we go purchase more food we would then eventually starve. Thus, we understand that going to the grocery store is something that is really important.

Although we live in a world were we may now go online on our computer, order groceries and have them delivered, or we may make a phone call to certain stores that offer home delivery, the usual way of getting our groceries is to either walk, take a bus or cab, or drive down to the nearest grocery store, get the groceries, have them bagged and bring them home. In other words, our usual way of getting our groceries is to go the where they are sold and get them at the store.

Even more important than our physical well being is our spiritual well being. Our spiritual well being is more important because even after our bodies are old and die, our spirits will live on forever. Thus, even more important than feeding our physical bodies is feeding our souls. Now, let us take this as an analogy. We talked about the importance of filling our pantry with groceries which we get by going to the store. Thus, it is important to go to our spiritual grocery store for some spiritual food. Our spiritual grocery store is our local church. There, at our local church, we hear the good news of Jesus. There we are given the spiritual food we need to nourish our hungry spirits.

As it is with physical food, so it is with spiritual food. If we fail to go to the spiritual grocery store and fill our pantries with spiritual food, soon we will run out, and when we run out, that would mean we could die a spiritual death which is worse than a physical death. Thus, we see the need for going to our spiritual grocery store.

A Jesus-directed life, is just that a Jesus-directed life only if and as Jesus directs it. Jesus directs us through means which reminds us of the importance of going to the place where He comes to us to give us His means of grace. One of the best places to be where His means are given is to be in divine service in church on Sunday mornings and as often as divine service is made available (usually Wednesdays during Advent and Lent).

Think About
How often do you go to the grocery store to get food for your pantry? How often do you go to the spiritual grocery store to fill your spiritual pantry?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the spiritual food of Your Word and Sacraments. Forgive us when we fail to make regular and diligent use of Your means of grace. Help us make every effort to be in divine service whenever offered, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.