God is Pop-Tart

Well, the end of the world didn't happen last week. And it didn't happen yesterday either. That's not to say it won't happen tomorrow, or next week, or next year. But let's be honest, everyone knows it's going to happen next year. It's what the movies say!

Here's the thing about Pop-Tarts (or toasters really): I don't care how many hours you spend in front of your kitchen counter staring at your watch, when that toaster ejects those Pop-Tarts, it's going to take you by surprise every time. It doesn't matter if you're paying attention to it or not, the second those golden brown beauties are birthed from their toasty womb, you're gonna jump a bit. Don't pretend you haven't done it before. It's okay, really.

So it is with the end of the world. No matter how much you try and prepare for it, it's never going to happen exactly when you or anyone else thinks it will.

"But of that day and hour knoweth no man"

This is one way in which God is Pop-Tart. God is unexpected and mysterious. He is surprising even if you are expecting Him. Remember when God appeared to Moses in a burning bush? That was pretty crazy, right? God set the bar for the unexpected, and He likely isn't lowering that bar anytime soon.

But I digress. The end of the world and unexpectedness isn't actually what I want to talk about today.

No, I want to talk about having a personal relationship with Pop-Tarts. 

I hear they're starting to get serious

Now, when I mention having a personal relationship with Pop-Tarts, what are your initial thoughts? 

• What is he talking about?
• Is this serious?
• How can anyone have a relationship with foodstuff?
• I'm going back to Facebook now.

If you had any of these thoughts, you're likely thinking many of the same things that people think when they hear about having a personal relationship with Jesus (Except for the foodstuff one. Replace foodstuff with "A man that lived 2000 years ago").

My favorite Pop-Tart is unfrosted blueberry. It's what I grew up with, and it will never be defeated by the fancy new flavors the kids have these days. But just look at them:

  Seriously, look at them. Right now. 

They look like roofing tiles, or ancient bricks flattened down to a convenient size; they're something you'd discover at an archeological site. Perhaps made of mud, perhaps camel dung. You certainly wouldn't want to eat one. Whatever they are, they were strong enough to survive thousands of years, but they've long since served their purpose.

That's how a lot of people view Christianity, maybe a relic of history to be studied, but it's long since served its purpose. So when we talk of having a personal relationship with Jesus, I think we turn a lot of those people off. To them, having a personal relationship with a 2000 year old man makes just as much sense as having a personal relationship with a pop-tart. I think a big reason for this is that we've coined this phrase "personal relationship" and turned Jesus into a sort of an instant best friend. (See also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-NOZU2iPA8)

To me, that's not what faith looks like. Having a "personal relationship" doesn't mean to me what most people seem to interpret it as. Having a "personal relationship" means diving into my faith and really committing myself to constant discovery and refinement. It means owning my faith and allowing it to live and grow and evolve. Maybe this is the message that needs to be stressed more than the idea of "Magic Jesus Friend."

So, to bring the conversation back to Pop-Tarts (at last!), what does it mean to have a personal relationship with a pop-tart? I'd say that means to actually take a bite! You can stare at that ancient brick all you want, but it's not until you take a bite that you realize it's filled with delicious blueberry goodness! What a joyous surprise! What once seemed to be an oversized communion wafer actually tastes amazing! You never would have made that discovery if it hadn't been for the bold action of taking the first bite, you bold action-taker, you. And you can't depend on wimpy little squirrel bites either. Pop-Tarts are clever. They don't start the filling until about a half-inch in. If you really want to taste the goodness, you've gotta commit to a legit bite. 

Christianity can indeed seem old and outdated if you look at it from the outside. But if you take the time to really explore it and discover it and make it a part of who you are, you begin to discover how powerful and beautiful it really is. In fact, Christianity can easily be just as powerful and beautiful as it was to those who witnessed Jesus firsthand. That's kind of a cool thing.

Strong faith is about action. It's about doing, learning, changing, asking, evolving, and becoming. Until you take ownership of your faith, you're never going to taste the blueberry. And how much you will miss!

There are two types of faith on opposite sides of the spectrum that don't quite become the living faith I think God calls us to:

1. The first type is shown the pop-tart. They see the pop-tart, and they're told that within the pop-tart lies a delicious blueberry center. But people with this faith are content with simply being told the pop-tart is delicious. Their faith may be strong, and they may truly believe that the blueberry center tastes like heaven, but they never actually take the action to taste the pop-tart themselves. It just sits on the table, slowly growing stale as they celebrate how great it tastes. To them, I say: Taste the Pop-Tart! It's there, you know it's there, and you know it will be great, eat it!
2. The second type is spoon-fed the blueberry filling. They've tasted the goodness, they know how great it is, but imagine eating nothing but a spoonful of the blueberry filling every morning. It would get kind of old, and kind of gross. Like the first type, this faith requires no actual action or investment. This faith is all frosting and no fulfillment. They may be filled up with glitzy worships and eloquent speakers, but it's all just a sugar rush. Without any further exploration or personal investment, they'll never be completely fulfilled. To them, I say: Take some spiritual risks! Bite the pop-tart yourself! Don't simply wait to be temporarily refilled by a spoonful of sugar every Sunday morning.

By taking actions such as studying, reading the bible, praying, serving others, or just learning as much as we can, we take ownership of our faith and realize for ourselves the beauty of God's story for us. May you have a personal relationship with pop-tart. God is Pop-Tart.

Discussion Questions:

1. How do you eat your pop-tarts? (Both literally and figuratively)
2. Pop-Tarts come in many flavors. Does God?