A week into cafeteria food has my mind turning, and thankfully not my stomach. Cafeteria food was a pretty cool concept pre college, but a not so cool concept a few years into college. No complaining here though, especially from my mother who is escaping some grocery bills with me being away at camps all summer! At each camp I watch campers pile into the cafeteria and then proceed to pile their plates. While I watch the mounds of food dwindle, my mind turns to a silly story about the chocolate milk machine.
For me, hockey camp was the first time I spent a large amount of time away from my parents. It was my first breath of freedom as you might say. My parents would probably say their first breath of pure fright. But hey, I lived and they did too. During that first year of hockey camp, there was a lot to explore and discover. One thing that still stands out in my mind is the chocolate milk machine. That thing was incredible! In my innocence, I thought that machine was eternally flowing from a never ending magical source. Through my eyes, it was a wonderful, delicious, and constant stream of chocolate milk. Then I grew a little older and unfortunately reality hit. The continuous flow of chocolate milk was actually a myth. The chocolate does run out, and worse, it’s a person that fills it back up. Talk about a major let down!
But beyond chocolate milk, things run out. It is the way of life. In a society full of expectations and promises, people are quick to realize we fall short. We dive into things that we believe will sustain us, that will bring us happiness. We chase after things that appear good at first glance. Things that bring us enjoyment, at least for the moment. Ultimately, the things of this world do not last. Much like the chocolate milk machine. At first glance, it looks amazing, it looks endless, but in reality it will eventually run out. The user can’t see when it’s about to run out, but when it does, they are left empty. They are left perplexed and wanting more of something but they just don’t know what.
However, there is one thing in life that does satisfy and sustains. Jesus says in John 6:35, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall not thirst” (ESV). In Jesus, and only Him, can one be fully sustained. Nothing in this world, not even chocolate milk, will ever compare to Him. Jesus is the chocolate milk machine that I thought existed, everything else in the world is the chocolate milk machine that actually exists. Through Christ, one can find unrelenting love, boundless grace, and complete forgiveness. When one commits their life to Christ, He will always sustain. When you understand this reality, joy can be found, fear can be conquered, and strength can be discovered.
Sure, chocolate milk is good after a hockey game or hard practice, but Jesus is good always. Jesus is good….ALWAYS. In Him, you can find strength that lasts an eternity. In surrender to Him, you never have to worry about being spiritually hungry or thirsty because he will make you full.
And with that, I gotta go! I can’t let all these growing hungry boys get to the chocolate milk machine before me!
Until next time,
The Intern
