DON'T SETTLE FOR STALE CRACKERS!


The weather over the last few days in East Tennessee has turned cooler. It has seemed more like fall with a brisk breeze and some leaves changing color. I love this time of year.

When the temperature turns cooler, this Mowery clan thinks: chili. Just the other day we whipped up some and put it in the crock pot to simmer until supper. Each member of the family has his or her own preference for how to eat the chili. I like to put the corn chips in the bottom of the bowl and add cheese and sour cream. My daughter likes the cheese, but she prefers to scoop her chili-cheese combination with the corn chips. Now, my husband leaves off the corn chips. He likes to pull out the good ol' saltine crackers to accompany his bowl of chili.

As we all sat down to eat, my husband grimaced at his first bite. "These crackers are stale." He went to the cabinet for a new package. Settling in again, he tried a cracker from the fresh pack. "There's no difference. These seem stale too." He finally had to give up on the crackers and just consume his chili without them.

Those stale crackers made me think about my relationship with God and my Christian walk. There are times that I allow that relationship to go stale. I don't turn my back on God or go off into a life of sin. But, I'm not pursuing Him like I should. I'm not reading His Word. I'm not keeping it fresh.

Even though I've had those times when I've felt so close to God and right in His will, I will still allow that to slip away. I go through the motions, or I just get tired. When I take a moment to evaluate, I scold myself, knowing I'd rather be back in close fellowship.

What about you? Do you sometimes settle for your current status with God only to realize there's more?

Don't settle for stale crackers! Keep it fresh.