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Sir Francis Bacon

“Man does not live by bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 14:4

“Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Psalm 34:8

The desire for physical health and well-being is not new to our society, the ideal man and woman having been imagined by nutritionists, doctors, beauticians and dieticians for years. And while we have our share of over-weight and looks-challenged people in this country, we at the same time have more than our share of remedies. For instance, the male and female models held up as the ideal for the rest of us to achieve is unrealistic, the men having to work at their bodies as if that were their sole responsibility and women virtually starving themselves to modify what they have or augmenting what they lack through plastic surgery. Countless books have been written concerning health issues, diets, and appearance; many selected for “best-seller” status. And if that’s not enough, virtually every magazine today deals at one point or another with food, health and our physical makeup.

Having said that, let me assure you that we should be concerned for and appreciate our bodies. They are wonderful and complex creations - gifts from God. In fact, we are instructed by God to take care of and maintain our bodies as God’s temple. “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred and you are that temple.” 1 Corinthians 3:16,17 Yet as our bodies become worthy of God by virtue of the Holy Spirit, it stands to reason that the Holy Spirit deserves our consideration and provision as well.

Athletes in general – and body builders in particular – demonstrate the results of specific regimens of diet and exercise developed to gain and maintain size and performance. We can as easily see the effects of poor diets in both the emaciated bodies of those who are starving and in the bloated bodies of those who eat carelessly and exercise infrequently, substituting “junk food” for good. Likewise the effects of a junk food mentality being fed into our minds and the lack of discipline over our spiritual beings is obvious in the playboy attitude of so many today, evidenced in rampant immorality around the world. What goes in us does come out of us; in physical appearance, health concerns and by the words we say and the deeds we do. Jesus dealt with this issue during a discussion of clean and unclean foods saying, “What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean’, but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean’.” There was a question as to whether certain foods could make a man spiritually “dirty.” Jesus wanted us to know that it is what’s in our hearts and minds that determines whether our actions and intent are clean and worthy or not. “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart and those make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’;…” Matthew 15:11,17-20 We must purposefully choose to fill ourselves with the fruit of the Spirit, “…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22,23Which in turn will manifest itself in a ‘clean’ lifestyle and positive purpose. Jesus asserting that, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35

In both the physical and spiritual realms, it is our choice as to what, how often and how much we eat. Jesus dealt with man’s need of food, clothing and shelter by urging us to set priorities and then promising to provide all our legitimate needs. “…seek first his (God’s) kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:22-34 We must seek out and consume the fruit/food of the Spirit as well as that of the world, feasting on the word of God even as we appreciate the God-created wonders and pleasures the world has to offer. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, (merely being physically content) but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.” Romans 14:17,18

The problem is that contradictory natures reside within us. Paul describing it this way, “I find this law at work: when I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind.” Romans 7:21-23 “For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” Romans 7:15 (Ever been there? Confused, unsure, seemingly unable to be the person you really want to be?) The solution is to, “…live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other…” Galatians 5:16,17 (See also vs. 19-23)

Jesus declared, “…the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” and “I am the bread of life. John 6:33 (See also Proverbs 9:5) The Gospel of John then records one of Christ’s more controversial and misunderstood teachings, noting that, “As a result of this, many of his disciples withdrew, and were not walking with him anymore.” John 6:66 But was that because they lacked the ability to understand or a lack of depth and desire to understand? And while it would appear at times his teachings were not meant for the casual listener – the true seeker – he who would stop, listen, think and decide was always welcome and usually perceptive enough to grasp and understand. Proverbs 20:21 says, “The lips of the righteous feed many; but fools die for want of wisdom.” The most troubling aspect of this is that the “want” is often self-imposed. People of all ages want things to come quick and easy, they don’t want to have to work for an answer or think of a cause – to find true meaning; leaving them quickly discouraged and easily led astray. Jesus commented on this condition by saying, “…I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor understand. And in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled; which says, ‘You will keep on hearing, but will not understand, and you will keep on seeing but will not perceive; for the heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears and understand with their heart…’” Matthew 13:13-15 The problem not so much His presentation of the word as our reception of it.

Check back next week for more insight on consuming God and his word.

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