Breakfast with a friend

http://blueeyedennis-siempre.blogspot.com/2011/04/friday-in-octave-of-easter.html

I love the beach. I like to walk on the beach and morning walks are great. Imagine as your are walking along a wonderful smell starts wafting by you in the breeze.  It smells like fish, and toast, and fire all mingled together.  Your stomach starts to growl as you are now pretty hungry since you've been walking for awhile. You start walking a little faster so that you can find out where that wonderful smell is coming from. You arrive at the place and you are pleasantly surprised and a bit overwhelmed. Your best friend who you haven't seen in awhile and whom you did not expect to see has made you breakfast at your favorite spot and is waiting for you to enjoy the meal with him. (He knew you would be walking on the beach and walk past this way!) He invites you to sit down and fixes you a plate. Then he asks, "What are your plans for the day?"

I have been reading through the message Bible and I recently read the last chapter of John. I'm sure everyone knows the story and I have read it in the past. There are many analogies and lessons that can be taken from this story. For some reason, this last time I read it, the story has replayed in my mind over and over again. I imagine it at night after a day of work and Jesus says to me, "How was your day?" He knows what I like and where I will be when. He knows what I need and when I need it. He always makes things special. Wouldn't you love to have a wonderful chat with your friend on the beach over a campfire meal? The beauty of it all is, I can and do have that relationship with Jesus. I tell Him what my plans are for the day and how my day went. He listens and cares and He helps me. One day, I hope to enjoy that meal on the beach with Jesus for real. Would you like to join us? It will be wonderful! In the meantime, when I am discouraged, I start to take a walk along the beach in my mind and Jesus is waiting for me by the campfire. He says to me, "Sit down and have some food. Tell me all about it. I can help..."

P.S. After proof reading this something else came to my mind. I have a dear friend who I used to chat with a lot about spiritual things. I remember her telling me an image that she carried with her about Jesus cooking a meal for her but hers was a kitchen setting. She used to work in a restaurant!:> Perhaps this is where these images came from in my mind, but either way, God uses the things we enjoy and can relate to (me, the beach, my friend a kitchen restaurant) to help us to understand how much he loves us and wants to be included in our lives and to help us. I have also been reading Brother Lawrence's book, "Practicing the Presence of God".  I think these images that we carry in our minds of Jesus also help us to "practice the presence of God." I hope you are filling your mind today with the images of God and experiencing His presence in your life.