Spiritually Speaking The Crush!
Thanksgiving! I have to admit, I love food and I’m pretty thankful for my mom’s dressing around this time of year. Most of us will probably reflect on a number of things we are especially thankful for during this season; we certainly have a lot to be thankful for to God. But how about the process He has you in currently, developing your character? What is He producing? “If we are ever going to be made into wine we will have to be crushed-you cannot drink grapes.”1In the Old Testament, the drink offering was one of the prescribed sacrifices offered to God. It represented the gratefulness and appreciation to God in the worship of who He is and what He had done for His chosen. Many times when the drink offering was poured out on the altar, it was after a difficult or stressful time in the life of the worshipper (see Gen 35:14-15; Lev 23:9-13). For many Christ followers, the traumatic events, stressful issues, suffering and hard circumstances that happento us are questioned and can be confusing. And the process of personal, spiritual growth tests our faith in ways that lead us to doubt God’s goodness and especially His presence in our life. We don’t seem to hear Him, and certainly can’t see an answer to our situation, much less any relief.