Food, Marvelous Food

“Do not work for food that spoils, 

but for food that endures to eternal life, 

which the Son of Man will give you.”

[Jn 6:27a]

How easy is it to be consumed with thoughts of food?

Sometimes I feel bombarded by food commercials, food ads, and food shows. In America we have the food industry, the Food Channel, magazines and cookbooks galore, and restaurants on every corner. We even have a food administration office in our federal government. 

I have sought comfort, satisfaction, pleasure, and relief from food (albeit temporary). But there is a human hunger only God can fill. And that is a hunger I want ever to remain. I don’t want to deaden or guise or extinguish that hunger for Him and His Word. And I certainly don’t want to bury it with the artificial junk food the world offers.

I love food! But I haven’t always held a healthy perspective of it. There have been times I have viewed food as a coping tool. I would use food as a stress-reliever, a loneliness-buster, or a boredom-breaker; only to learn that it can never offer true, lasting comfort. But, thoughtlessly and often unknowingly, I would turn to the cupboard for calm when my nerves became rattled and my thoughts anxious. I gained a false sense of comfort and a bad habit . . . as I gained weight.

I not only want to be fed, I want to be well-fed.

I feared becoming like Esau—forsaking a rich inheritance for the immediate gratification a bowl of stew offered.

The hard facts to swallow are that I am undeservedly in the one-third—the one-third that is well-fed. One-third of the world’s population is underfed and one-third is starving. The 2010 numbers reveal that 925 million in the world suffer from hunger and malnutrition and an intolerable 15 million children die annually of hunger. And even more shocking is that the U.S. restaurant industry (made up of 480,000 restaurants as of November 2011) generated $400 billion in sales. Shocking and sobering facts, to be sure.

In my mind I tend to distort and corrupt the good things of God from His original intended purpose into something more self-serving.  And food falls into that category.

Paul instructed Timothy; “For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.”  Everything God has created is good and is to be received and used wisely with thanksgiving. The gospel of Christ teaches that life is more than food and we are not to toil for food that spoils.

God has such a way of opening our eyes, redeeming our lives, and destroying our bad habits! (He’s tearing down idols, one crumb at a time!) While fasting is a spiritual act of worship unto God, it accomplished a proper perspective toward food for me. It is not intended as such, but for me it shattered the hold food had on my heart and re-established God as my life’s sustaining priority.

I am healthier now—physically, spiritually, and emotionally—because I have a healthier perspective on food. I know to eat when I’m hungry, eat moderate portions, and eat a balanced diet. And when I’m bored, anxious, upset, or feel empty, I turn to God and His Word for stimulation, calm, comfort, and filling.

I now realize a greater enjoyment of food because I appreciate the gift as provision from His grace. And to enjoy food with thanksgiving is a celebration and worship of that grace. And this one-third knows that I am held accountable to share with the hungry of this world from the abundance of His blessing.

By Your Spirit, I have been fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; and with singing lips my mouth will praise You. From Your grace and mercy, rain down manna, the grain of heaven, to erase the misery of the multitudes that hunger.

                                  Worldhunger.org

                             Bread.org/hunger/global

                             WorldVision.org

                             WorldHungerRelief.org

A 2012 Series: Idol Awareness

~A Saturday Post~

...to be continued next Saturday.