As WW members, we have been challenged to pay attention to our eating patterns to determine if they are satisfying and sustainable. We try to establish whether they are nourishing as well. How much more so should we pay attention to our spiritual eating patterns!
After many years of study, it has been made evident to me that there are always spiritual parallels to things in the natural, physical world. Jesus spoke in parables for a reason! Creation reflects the Creator. Natural principles reflect the spiritual. In the area of food and wellness, this is especially true.
Before we dig deeper, lets look at our Trinity of Truth for this topic, because…it’s the Word!
1. We must feed both the physical and the spiritual. In Matthew 4:4, Satan is trying to tempt Jesus with food, because He was hungry and had been fasting for 40 days,“But he answered, “It is written,“‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” His Word is our spiritual food.
2. Jesus is the Word made flesh and the bread of life, John 1:14 – “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”John 6:35 –“Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
3. In order to really thrive, we need to hunger and thirst for the right things. Matthew 5:6 –“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
In our journey for physical health and wellness, what we eat is what we become. Every cell is built and nourished by the proteins, fats and other nutrients derived from the foods we eat. Everything we take into our bodies has some sort of impact for the better or for the worse. It is the same from a spiritual standpoint. What we take into our mind and spirit determines who we become. Romans 12:1-2, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” What we feed on, by putting it into our minds, matters. Our food is supposed to be the Word, which renews our minds and brings transformation! 1 Peter 2:2-3, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.” It is through abiding in the Word, feeding on it, that we come to taste of God’s goodness! Psalm 34:8, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”
In John 6, where Jesus declares himself the bread of life, He had just done one of several miracles with food. Food is important! It is required to sustain life. We tend to seek food and incorporate it into each and every day, most of us more than just once. We think about food – a lot! We spend time and money on food. We share food with others as part of our interaction with them. Do we have the same pattern when it comes to the Word, which is our spiritual food? Do we even have the same level of passion and importance when it comes to our spiritual nourishment? What is your pattern of feeding on the Word? Is it enough to thrive, or are you barely sustained by bits and bytes sprinkled on your social media feed or in a daily devotional that barely gets used? Do you feed yourself, or do you rely on others to feed you? Do you nourish your spirit daily? What is your spiritual eating pattern?
I encourage you to feast on the Word this week and see what happens!
