Unshackled Echo ~ June 4, 2019 ~ Living On MREs

Imagine if you will growing up in some strange land where there is no natural food source. There is no edible vegetation or animal life. Everyone would starve to death if it weren't for the fact that the leader of the land supplied everyone with MREs, and that's all anyone has ever known. Military Meals Ready To Eat are what people think of and imagine when they read or hear the word food. It's all they've ever known.

One day someone tells you that there is something better. You have been invited to a feast  at the banquet hall of a king. There will be the most succulent  and tasty meats, fresh vegetables prepared in a variety of ways, the most interesting and delicious side dishes and deserts that you would dream of forever if you had a good enough imagination to even fathom them. All of this amazing food, prepared by the best chefs that every existed, could be yours. All you can eat.

Hopefully for your taste bud's sake you wouldn't respond with a nah, I'm OK with the food I have. I don't know why your going on about all the food at the feast. I know food, and it's not bad, but it's not something to get really worked up over. But the sad thing is that there are people who would do just that. They can't imagine that there is something more and that much better than all that they have experienced. Food is food. It all tastes about the same. It really isn't ever that good. Or what are you talking about? The Sante Fe Rice And Beans MRE is amazing! There couldn't be anything better than this!

That may sound foolish, but it's what we do all the time. We were born in a cursed land where everyone comes into the world separated from their Creator by sin, despite being born for relationship with Him. Because of this we are born starving spiritually. The leader of this realm is more than happy to fill our bellies with counterfeit spiritual experiences. Tease and indulge the senses tricking them into thinking and feeling like our needs are being met while at the same time driving us desperately for more because what we have is never ever enough.

We are stuffing ourselves silly with substitute and substandard meals and starving as we gorge on what would dare not be called food had we ever tasted anything better. Then someone says stop eating that junk, it's worthless. No. We like it. We want it. But finally for whatever reason we listen, step out of line and over to the table where the Master has prepared the perfect meal to excite and satisfy each and every taste bud on our tongue. Suddenly we understand what food was supposed to taste like, and what we'd always craved before suddenly falls so short.

I don't care what your favorite MRE is, it does not compare to a five star gourmet rendition of whatever it is designed to imitate. I don't care what you've been tasting, feeling, experiencing, how amazing the sex may be, how great the high, how thrilling the rush, how happy the days have seemed....I could go on, but you get the drift, the truth is that it all falls short to what it is supposed to distract you away from realizing you need and want, the banquet God is offering you freely. There is nothing that compares in experience with experiencing the presence of God. No chemical can truly provide what the Spirit does. No happiness can compare with the strength that comes in the joy of the Lord. No tranquil times can measure up against the peace that passes understanding. Nothing tainted by death can give us a life worth living.

O taste and see that the Lord is good! In Him is life, life better and more than we could ever imagine. No matter what we fear we might have to give up if we come to Him, He also offers to keep us safe from those things that make us sick but that we can't seem to stop partaking of on our own. I assure you from personal experience that He will give us something infinitely better in return. There is something better, and it's free.

Today's Unshackled Echo was previously published on

June 4, 2016.

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