Food
Lots of powerful discussion began this week’s group
meeting. A woman from South Africa
shared what true poverty is! In the
United States, true poverty doesn’t exist.
We are so clueless, comparing apples to oranges, so to speak. I was reminded that this is a war we are
waging. We must be deliberate and take
time to develop a strategy for attack and then implement it. This is tough when we have an inaccurate view
of the battlefield. We must keep the
ultimate goal in mind: removing
obstacles between you and Christ.
Is food an obstacle for you?
It is for me. It has been for
longer than I can remember. I’ve tried
lots of strategies using my own power. I’ve
dieted and exercised, lost and gained. I’ve
prayed for willpower and miraculous deliverance and faster metabolism and better
discipline to eat right and exercise.
I’ve even given up, asking God to make me who He intends me to be
physically all on His own. But I’m
starting to see that it’s not about the number on the scale or the tape measure
or the tag in my pants. It’s about me
allowing food to come between me and Jesus.
It’s about me succumbing to those seemingly harmless whispers from the
devil who wants to keep me captive.
I want to live in victory and I know that means keeping my
eyes on Christ. But that’s hard, isn’t
it? War isn’t easy. So what’s the battle plan? I guess I need to establish chain of command,
first. Jesus is my Commander. As a good soldier, I must obey His
commands. So, what does God say about food?
In Genesis 1:29, God gives every seed-bearing plant on the
face of the earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it for food. Matthew 6:25 tells us not to worry about our
life, what we eat or drink and what we wear.
In John 4:34, Jesus says His food “is to do the will of Him Who sent me
and to finish His work.” Scripture says
lots more, and Jen leads us to read some beautiful passages this week in 2
Chronicles and Leviticus. Can you
believe that? 2 Chronicles and
Leviticus! I wish she would’ve also led
us to the New Testament where all foods are declared clean in Acts 10 and 11
and 1 Timothy 4:3-5. Anyway, what I’ve
learned is: it’s about the heart and
attitude, and there is only one possible way to get that right. This leads me to my first battle strategy.
First step in the
battle plan: Seek FIRST the kingdom of
God and His righteousness.
I’ve tried to begin my day on most days with Bible reading
and prayer. As a result of this week of
study, I plan to be more deliberate about doing so.
Heavenly Father, I come to You in the wonderful name of my
risen Savior, Jesus Christ, to thank You for loving me as I am but refusing to
leave me that way! I don’t like the pain
that comes with change, but I trust You to prune me so that my life will be
more fruitful for Your kingdom. I trust
You to prosper me and not harm me. So, I
ask that Your will be done in my life in all areas, not just food. Please draw me to You each morning – FIRST
thing. And if my battle plan needs to
change, Lord, make it clear to me. I
love You, Papa.
Comments