Welcome to Thoughts and Ponderings on God. The purpose of these short inspirations is to encourage deeper meditation and contemplation on the Scriptures. It is our hope that you will find spiritual nourishment for your soul and that in so doing, you will draw closer to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

"Call to Me (the Lord), and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." Jer 33:3

Matthew 5:13 - Seasoning anyone ????

"You are the salt of the earth.  But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men."

Salt is a wonderful substance - it has uses you would never dream of.  A salt paste will soothe insect stings.  Saltwater sets the color in clothing.  Salt repels fleas.  Windows washed with salt in the winter will not frost over.  Salt makes cleaning oven spills easier then ever.  Then there are the common uses for salt - flavoring; pickling; preserving.

From the beginning of time and still today in some cultures, newborns are rubbed down with a solution of either honey or olive oil and salt.  This was done to remove all of the birthing fluids, thus ensuring a healthy baby.  Then the infant was rubbed again with either plain honey or olive oil as a healing protectant. 

What does salt do?  It irritates; it cleanses; it heals; it flavors; it preserves.  All the things the Christian is called to do.

If the Spirit of the Living God is active in your life, unbelievers will become uncomfortable in your presence.  The Holy Spirit within you witnesses to the spirit of the world, causing discomfort, aggitation, bewilderment, anger, and scorn.  This is the irritation.  God is at work in others because He is at work in you.

Saltwater or just salt poured on an open wound causes tremendous pain, but promotes quicker healing.  The exposed life of the unbeliever to the Holy Spirit brings pain and turmoil, weeping and wailing.  But when we stop fighting the treatment and accept the proceedure, peace enters in and the healing begins.  God uses you to heal the soul of others through your mercy and compassion.  Your quiet, loving acceptance of others wins them to the Lord and eternal salvation.  We love the sinner, not the sin.

We add spice to life just by the joy of the Lord bubbling over in us.  Happy faces; trusting in the worst of times; sharing our trials and triumphs; all these things add zest.

And when all is said and done, when lost souls have received Jesus and eternal life, preservation has happened. 

Not enough salt makes everything bland and too much salt makes things bitter.  A cook learns by experience and so does the Christian.   Good cooks trust their instincts, good Christians trust the Holy Spirit to tell them when enough is enough is just right.

How is your spiritual salt shaker?  Is it full?  Is it close at hand or tucked away in the cupbard?  How often is it in use or has it lost it's saltiness?

"Lord God, sometimes I feel like table salt and sometimes like rock salt.  You are the master chef, I trust how you will use me in the lives of others.  I know You will never be too much or too little.  Let me always, always rely on your directions and never on mine.  Amen."

FOR FURTHER STUDY:

Proverbs 3:5-6

Exodus 30:35
Leviticus 2:13
Numbers 18:19
Juges 9:45

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