Real Meal Time

We have a mealtime routine. Put heaped spoonful of canned cat food in feeding dish. Open the back door. If he’s not ready to slither in, call “Kitty, kitty, come on, Aug.” If he hesitates, count backwards from five. (At “one” he’s usually in). Then watch him trot to his feeding spot by the refrigerator.

If he were a dog, our cat Auggie would race faster than a derby horse to the feed trough. But sometimes he just plants himself on the rug near it, then looks up as if to say, “I don’t like that flavor.” Usually the wet cat food with egg or cheese as part of the recipe merits his disdain. Or a flavor he’s had three days in a row.

I mutter, Get a life, cat. If you don’t like the menu, you’re stuck with your crunchy food.

The other day it struck me that I sometimes have “cat-titude” about reading the Bible. I have “likes” (Psalms, Isaiah, the epistles) and sit-and-stare books (think: stern and smokin’). Yet all comprise God’s well-balanced nutrition plan.

So how do we move from sit-and-stare-is-there-anything-else-in-the-cupboard to enjoying—truly enjoying and savoring—a regular time in God’s Word?

First, thank God for communicating through written words that express His character and will.

Second, realize that without the help of the Holy Spirit, those words would make as much sense as a package of alphabet pasta.Third, engage thoughtfully and regularly in spiritual meals.

Often when I speak at women’s retreats, I share this little acrostic about spiritual feeding (“devotions”) that many find helpful. Pray for insights, then, using the first four letters of “devotions”:

Delight in it—Read regularly and consecutively through a Bible book. I sewed a second ribbon marker in my Bible to that I can mark where I’m reading daily in both the Old and New Testaments. (I also use a sticky flag on the page to help me remember where I stopped.) But don’t read just to mark off a reading schedule. Savor each “bite” (verse, paragraph, or chapter) for its richness to your life and needs. Think of how you delight in your favorite flavor of ice cream (chocolate chip is up there in my book)—or of how, if you were a cat, one variety of cat food is irresistible, right down to licking your paws afterward.

Engrave it—Mark in your Bible or write in a journal what God seems to want to tell you. Are certain words or thoughts repeated? Is there a sin to confess, a behavior to change, a point to stretch your faith?

Verse it—Star or underline a verse that especially seemed to say, “Notice me.” Considering writing it out on a 3x5 card for memorization.

Obey it—Pray for wisdom and strength to integrate its truths into your life, to help you grow in Christ-likeness.

Trust me, DEVO-ing will change your life. It has mine.