Back in the heyday of my guitar playing, I liked a little-known song by the duo, which went:

            “I wish I was an English muffin,
                 About to make the most out of a toaster.”

Though not exactly The Sounds of Silence, it has a clever rhyme and a catchy tune.  But it’s incorrect.  An English muffin is not the pinnacle of toasterdom.

That top spot, in my opinion, is reserved for a childhood favorite of mine.  While admitting to eating my fair share of pop-tarts and Eggos, my top toasted treat was a crumpet.  Understand, my parents were both born and raised in Canada, and bringing home crumpets (as well as butter tarts) from summer visits was a tradition.  I am most certainly biased.

This morning, thanks to the kindness of my son and his wife, I have a rare opportunity to enjoy one again.  My daughter-in-law asks what was so special about it.  I suppose she heard me mention my love for them and after discovering them at Trader Joe’s, had tried one, finding it underwhelming.

“It’s not the taste of the crumpet that’s unique,” I answer.  “It’s the texture.  Whatever you put on it soaks all the way down into it.”  Today’s toppings are butter and jam.  But growing up, it was creamed honey – a thick, translucent spread that would permeate every bite with satisfying sweetness.

Two verses come to mind:

 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. (Eph. 3:16 -17)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. (Col. 3:16)

Both have the concept of dwelling. In the Ephesians verses, it’s remarkable that Paul prays first that Christians would be strengthened by the Spirit so that Christ can dwell in them.  Paul knows how unprepared we are to absorb all the surpassing greatness of Jesus.

And in the second, he adds the qualifier, richly or abundantly.  Though Paul probably has a wealth image in mind, it takes me right to the sweetness of a bite of honey-soaked crumpet.  (Or today’s jam.)  Christ and his word need to permeate our individual and communal lives.

Lately, I’ve been feeling very toastish.  Scripture has been sitting too much on just the surface of my mind and heart.  It hasn’t been soaking in, to give me the richness and sweetness of Jesus.  His power and presence don’t come when our time with him becomes another box to check on a to-do list.

I want to be more like a crumpet -- a sponge to absorb his wisdom and greatness, his love and grace.  So that every interaction I have throughout the day would have the rich flavor of his goodness.

Spirit, make us able to receive Jesus into the very core of our being today.  We want to have him dwell in us richly and sweetly, through and through.

Reader: How do you get Christ’s word to dwell in you richly?  Tell me about it.

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