Rev. Ray and Pat Amos

“… you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you” (John 14:20 – “As the sugar hides in tea – Hide Thou Lord in me.”

We bowed our heads at the table. I was in the home of one that I considered being a giant in Methodism. He was an Englishman with a simple and profound faith in God; just being with him caused me to desire a closer walk the Lord. “Let us pray,” he said; and then he continued: “Bless the food upon our dish, as thou didst bless the loaves and fish; and as the sugar hides in tea, hide thou Lord in me. Amen.”
That was many years ago, and I have never forgotten those words. Now, when I think of them, I also think of something that Jesus said, “… you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you” (John 14:20.

I don’t guess it is considered good theology to compare Christian living to a glass of sweet tea, but I like the idea. It is amazing how sugar transforms tea into something really good. It is invisible when it is in the tea. The same is true with the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives (God in us, invisible but powerful; making something good out of our lives.) Like tea without sugar, you can tell when a life is religious but unsweetened without the Spirit of God.

A few years ago it was advised that I use artificial sweetener. I remember ordering unsweet tea, and then, I added the substitute sweetener. There were a lot of tiny flakes in the drink. I thought that something was wrong with the tea but it was the artificial sweetener that would not hide; neither will artificial Christianity hide itself. It will show up in many ways.

It was said of the early Christians that the people could tell that they had been with Jesus. That was true, but you could tell more than that: The Spirit of God was hidden and living in them.

“As the sugar hides in tea – Hide Thou Lord in me.”

Grace and Peace, Rev Ray