I finished Velvet Elvis. I'm still ruminating on what Bell had to say, but I'm getting ready to go home now and I think I'll do my best to do as he suggests in this passage...
"Central to reclaiming creation and being a resurrection community is the affirmation that when God made the world, God said it was 'good'.
"And it still is.
"Food and music and art and friends and stories and rivers and lakes and oceans and laughter and...did I mention food? God has given us life, and God's desire is that we live it. It is the job of the church to lead the world in affirming and, more important, enjoying the goodness of creation. We are not going somewhere else at the end of time, becuase this world is our home. And our home is good.
"One of the most tragic things ever to happen to the gospel was the emergence of the message that Jesus takes us somewhere else if we believe in him. The Bible ends with God coming here. God, in the midst of all the people who can imagine nothing better, celebrating the life that we all share. The images Jesus used were of banquets and feasts and celebrations. What do we do at parties such as these? We eat and talk and dance and enjoy each other and above all else, we take our time. What does Jesus do almost as much as he teaches and heals? He eats long meals. As Christians, it is our duty to master the art of the long meal." (p. 170-171)
Enjoy your family as you eat with them today! Laugh and enjoy what God has give you! Blessings to you from God our Father, Maker of all that is good!
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