Right now I am enjoying the wonderful satisfaction of making bread. I have only done it once before and this recipe is a little more complicated, so I'm crossing my fingers. There's nothing quite like the smell of bread baking. It's comfortable. I am fascinated by yeast. Just a little bit makes the dough triple in size. It happens organically, and in it's own time and in a very warm comfortable atmosphere. It's a very fertile alive thing.
Jesus talks about yeast worked into dough. I think this is a beautiful picture of the Body and ties together a lot of thoughts I've been having lately.
It must be nurtured and loved and requires much patience. It can't be forced, and rushing a step can ruin the dough. The yeast gives as it pleases. But let if flourish in it's own way and it is incredible how productive it is!
So with church, here are my thoughts. Hear me in love.
The Church should be not a place, but a body- an organism. Fertile, safe, productive. But so often we try to force these aspects artifically recreating them in a false invironment. So often we try to squeeze as much productivity out of the "yeast". But dough can't rise if the atmosphere is too cold or too hot, and it takes its own time. I want to see us treat eachother in the same organic way. With love, nurturing and patience so that when someone does have something to offer, it is thiers to freely give.
I get a sense of anticipation and hurry in a lot of church settings and hear lots of talk about "We gotta get this done!" But in all actuality, God is the one who will get it done. We just have to listen to his voice in our own lives and love the people around us in a way that will celebrate what we have to offer eachother and God through our services, our praise, or leading, our gifts, our money, our time, our hearts.
So the Body, and bread. Wonderfully simple and satisfying.
Jesus talks about yeast worked into dough. I think this is a beautiful picture of the Body and ties together a lot of thoughts I've been having lately.
It must be nurtured and loved and requires much patience. It can't be forced, and rushing a step can ruin the dough. The yeast gives as it pleases. But let if flourish in it's own way and it is incredible how productive it is!
So with church, here are my thoughts. Hear me in love.
The Church should be not a place, but a body- an organism. Fertile, safe, productive. But so often we try to force these aspects artifically recreating them in a false invironment. So often we try to squeeze as much productivity out of the "yeast". But dough can't rise if the atmosphere is too cold or too hot, and it takes its own time. I want to see us treat eachother in the same organic way. With love, nurturing and patience so that when someone does have something to offer, it is thiers to freely give.
I get a sense of anticipation and hurry in a lot of church settings and hear lots of talk about "We gotta get this done!" But in all actuality, God is the one who will get it done. We just have to listen to his voice in our own lives and love the people around us in a way that will celebrate what we have to offer eachother and God through our services, our praise, or leading, our gifts, our money, our time, our hearts.
So the Body, and bread. Wonderfully simple and satisfying.
Five hours later...Delicious!
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