….Let Us Thank Him For our Food

Life is full of little miracles.  We seldom stop and think about the miracle of food.  We change it, process it, sell and distribute it, search for and buy it, cook it, serve it, grab and gulp it, reject it, obsess about it, and sometimes we say a little “God is great, Good is good” over it, but ….do we ever ponder the seed that started the plant? Do we think about how it was sown, cared for, and harvested by the farmer?  Where did that seed come from?  How does it contain all those nutrients that allow our bodies to function?  There’s only one answer, God.  Why do we get to experience the miracle of food?  Because He loves us!  Because He is our provider.  God gives us this provision and even tells us, in the Bible, which foods were created to benefit us the most!  (Lev. 11) Amazing!! 

Food was given by God to keep us healthy and full of energy. He gave taste buds to tongues for a flavorful experience and He instilled just the right amount of nutrients, vitamins and minerals in foods to meet the human body’s needs.  Food should really make us say, “Wow!!”

We can experience a release of “food control” struggles when we surrender God’s provision of food back to Him.  This simple act will begin to break bonds of control over the appetite.  Here are some guidelines:

• Before cooking, choose real food that provides wonderfully for each unique body. Struggling physically because of past choices? Ask God to help you make better choices for meal preparation. Consider consulting a nutrition expert to choose the foods that correlate with the physical condition you are dealing with.
• Before filling your plate, it’s time for food confessions. In other words…check your thought life. Is it full of greedy thoughts about food, obsessive thoughts about food, or do you make food more important than God is in your life? If so, ask God to empower you through His spirit and then…
• Give thanks. Take your time.  Know and think about how this wonderful creation of food got here, and remember all the work it took to grow, buy and prepare.   
• Pray for countries where greed has taken over and people struggle to eat daily because of the governmental powers over them.  Pray for their release and for their provision.
     
• When it’s time to eat.  Enjoy foods’ goodness, taste, and texture, but remember its’ true intention of fuel and nourishment.
• Take care as you fill your plate.  Remember, it’s only by the grace of God that we have our food. Ask God how much is enough.  If you need more nourishment and strength, then ask Him to help you take enough.  If you tend to eat too much, ask how much you should take and in obedience trust him to sustain you.
• Let God be in control of your bites.  Thank him silently as you take your bites.  Savor them. Chew slowly.    Feel God filling your stomach and then stop eating when you are full.  Put away left overs.  Refill, for more nourishment. 
• Access how you are feeling mentally and physically.  Listen to your bodies cues of fullness.

Because Jesus knew how important food was to his people, he used it many times in the Bible to explain who He was to them.  In the book of John, in Chapter six, Jesus was teaching a crowd and performed the famous miracle of the loaves and fishes.  Afterwards he said,  ²⁷ But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man^[f] can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”²⁸ They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”²⁹ Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” ³⁰ They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? ³¹ After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’^[g]” ³² Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. ³³ The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”³⁴ “Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”³⁵ Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” Bible Gateway NLT

As Christians, It is when we forget that Jesus is the Bread of life, and refuse to obey him, that we continue to have struggles with our food or anything else for that matter.  During this season of Thanksgiving, let’s remember Him and his provision of eternal life that he made possible and available to us through His death on the cross.  Let us also remember the deeper meaning of “God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food, by his hand we are fed, thank you God for our daily bread.

Now go have some lunch!