Let's Not Choke On The Bones

"Today's Devotion" For April 1, 2006

Read: I Corinthians1:18-2:5; Psalm 8

LET'S NOT CHOKE ON THE BONES

"The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because the are spiritually discerned...But we have the mind of Christ." (I Cor.2:14, 16b)

Sitting on a train next to a man reading his Bible, a cynical agnostic observed him with some disdain. When it was time for lunch, they were served a meal of fish. Seizing the moment, the man having put his Bible down in order to eat, the agnostic asked, "Do you really believe what you read in that Bible?" "Yes, I most certainly do," replied the man. "You really strike me as an intelligent and successful person," the agnostic responded, "so tell me, don't you find a lot of things you don't understand; a lot of things that are obviously just nonsense?" "Well, I wouldn't say that something is nonsense just because I don't understand it, but, yes, I do read a lot of things in the Bible that I don't understand." With a smile the agnostic bored in for the "kill." "Tell me," he asked, "what do you do with such obviously ludicrous things as God being a Father, a Son, and a Spirit?" "Oh," said the Christian, "I just do then what I'm doing now as I eat this delicious fish. When I come to a bone, I just quietly lay it aside while I go on enjoying the fish. If someone insists on choking on the bones, well that's his decision. After all, the meat on the bones wouldn't be there without them."

What an incredibly lucid response! Personally, I'm almost certain I would have been much more annoyed with the agnostic than his fellow traveler was. Yet, all around us are people who don't believe God's Word and see it as foolishness, just as the agnostic did. How ready are we to address their questions, doubts, and concerns so they might know God's love in Christ? Even in our churches, among our fellow believers, there are many who aren't always so certain of their own faith. How often don't we "choke on the bones" concerning the things of God - the Trinity, the Cross, His grace, mercy, and forgiveness for the sake of Christ (just to name a few) - because we don't always understand them, at least not right away. Our sinful nature keeps on struggling against what God says, even after we have been refreshed by the Word and Spirit. Our sinful nature all too readily struggles against the truth of God even after we've been baptized into Christ and have been made a new creation in Him. Yet, by God's grace, as we are centered more and more in Christ through His Word and our Baptisms, we receive the things of God with an open heart and mind. It's true we don't always understand everything in God's Word, but we do pray that He'll give us understanding when He knows we're ready.

While many in this world are "choking on the bones" of the mysteries of God - the Trinity, the Body and Blood of Christ is the Lord's Supper, the power of Holy Baptism (washed clean of our sins by the water and the Word - Christians say, "Yes, Lord, I believe. Help Thou my unbelief." When many in this world are "choking on the bones" that we are saved by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ, Christians pray, "Yes, Lord, I believe. Help Thou my unbelief." When the world around us "chokes on the bones" that Christ made the ultimate sacrifice, once and for all times for our sins - the "foolishness of the Cross" (I Cor. 2) - Christians rejoice, and say, "Yes, Lord, I believe. Help Thou my unbelief." When the world around us "chokes on the bones" that heaven is a free gift of God's grace, neither earned or deserved, simply bought and paid for by the blood of Christ and is our by faith we Christians cry, "Hallelujah! Lord I believe. Help Thou my unbelief!"

Prayer: Father, You have revealed Your love in Jesus Christ to me by Your Word and Spirit. Yet I still have my doubts, and all around me I hear others giving "logical" reasons for not believing. That's very frightening to me at times and I never seem to be able to adequately answer their challenges to me. Father, please continue to send Your Spirit upon me in abundant measure so that I might "lay the bones aside and enjoy this delicious (meal)" of Your Word and promises. As I face the challenges to my faith and trust in Jesus that are thrown at me daily by the world around me, help me to take courage from St. Paul’s words, “For we have the mind of Christ” (I Cor. 2:16b). You Father, are so good to me. Help me remain faithful and rejoice always in Your peace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2006 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.