Cravings

This past week, I was riding to the orphanage in a matatu...(those are the 15 passenger Nissan mini-vans, that routinely hold around 25 or more here in Africa!) Even though matatus generally aren't the safest thing to ride in, I always enjoy my time in them, because I can look around at all the different people and picture what their lives are like. Most of them are already staring at me, the mzungu on board, so it's not too impolite if I stare back! :-) Or sometimes, I'll be able to read a chapter in my Bible or look out the window and just let my mind wander as I wonder. In Kenya, matatu time was always a good time to talk to your neighbor, but here in Rwanda, that's more difficult to do.

Anyway, this day as I was sitting crammed in the back, I look at the man sitting in front of me, and what do I see? He's wearing a Bojangles shirt, that reads, "Gotta, wanna, needa, getta, hava Bojangles!" Wow. It had been a looong time since I had thought about Bojangles and their made-from-scratch biscuits. But right then, when I saw that shirt I craved a nice juicy, greasy, Egg and Cheese biscuit, or their mashed potatoes and gravy, or their spicy greenbeans. Mmm....my mind was visualizing all these wonderful tasting foods, and I could even see myself going through the drive-thru on Cannon Blvd., and placing my order and eating the food even before I got home! I could taste it! I was CRAVING it so badly!

Of course, it made me laugh, to think that the man wearing the shirt had no idea what Bojangles was. To him, it could have been someone's name, or the name of a football team. That's probably why he bought it at the market, he thought it was "soccer related." He sure couldn't have liked the color!

As I made my journey to town and tasted hot biscuits all the way there, I started to think about cravings we have, and things we desire, and WHY we desire them. I had NOT ONCE thought about Bojangles since I had been here. (Whataburger, yes...Bojangles, no!) Honest! One thing I loved about living in Kenya was how healthy I ate, and how good my body felt. I ate nothing out of a can or box; everything fresh and freshly cooked, and my body could tell the difference! And it's pretty much the same here in Rwanda. I've gotten used to the diet of avocados, rice, chapati, fresh fruits, and the occasional meat. But now...when I saw the shirt, I was taken back...to Cannon Blvd, to that Egg and cheese biscuit that is sooooo bad for me!

And I started to think about cravings...much of the time what our bodies desire, what we are tempted with by our flesh (and I'm not just talking about food...) what our minds want to do, the initial craving we have to do something, eat something, say something....it's not from above! But from our sinful flesh, or of the world. Basically we could substitute anything in that phrase, for Bojangles..."Gotta, wanna, needa, getta, hava......whatever!" Whatever it is, we most likely don't really need it, but we just think we do. And we don't have enough self-control to overcome whatever temptation of the flesh we are dealing with. Alone, we are powerless. We are so gutless and spineless. It's only through His power, His Spirit that dwells in us, that we can overcome certain temptations of our flesh.

I also thought about the craving I had at that moment for Bojangles. And I thought about my "cravings" for the Word, for quiet time with my Father....did they add up? Do I totally desire that alone, totally focused time with God, just like I craved that biscuit? Do I spend so much time dwelling on Him and thanking him and thinking about being with Him...just like I spent about a good 20 minutes thinking about Bojangles the other day. Hmmm....something to think about. Do I crave and desire Him..being in His presence, bathing in His light! The book I'm reading now is called, "The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus," by Brennan Manning. So far, I give it an A+. He's my favorite author because he's so honest and real, and his humility shines through. As I was sunbathing this weekend on the shores of Lake Bunyonyi, I read a passage in the book that talked about how spending time with God is like sunbathing...people can see it, they notice you and say things like, "Wow, you must have gone to the beach, or you have a nice tan!" When we spend time basking in His light...or "Sonbathing," people will see a difference too! When we have that yearning, that desire to spend with Him, alone in prayer, talking to Him like He's right there in the chair beside us (cause he is!)....people can see that in us too just like they can see that I got severely sunburned this weekend! :-)

I'll have an egg and cheese biscuit when I get home to K-nap, a Whataburger, and probably Waffle House too, and definitely a Cookout banana milkshake. But I realize those are just cravings that pass by....I don't need that stuff...just cravings of the flesh. Just to wet my whistle and make me say, Mmmm for a few moments until I feel so full and sick! But I DO need to Sonbathe in His presence, always!