How do you eat? Do you eat for flavour or for fuel?
I know, it’s really not simply a matter of one or the other, it is always a combination of the two. However, we tend to have a propensity in how we eat. Do you feed yourself what tastes good, or what is good fuel? Do eat based on the flavour you are craving, or do you eat based on what your body needs to be fueled up?
I realized last year that I primarily ate for flavour. Sure, I tried to eat a fairly balanced diet. At least for dinners Anne ensured I ate a balance meal. But when I was left to my own devices – or perhaps more aptly stated as, “my own vices” – I did not fuel my body well. Oftentimes my food choices were simply based on the flavours that I wanted to enjoy.
If I didn’t feel like eating, or didn’t have time to eat, I wouldn’t. Sometimes all I would eat during the day was a tall, skinny, free-pour caramel macchiato with a toasted bagel and butter. Or, I would skip breakfast and eat a large restaurant bought lunch.
I never really considered what I needed to ingest to fuel my body well, to feed this miraculous mechanism we call the human body. I ate for flavour not for fuel. And, the effect on my body was obvious. I was fat, out of shape, ran out of energy in the afternoon, and didn’t have the stamina to do life energized at a fast pace.
That all changed when I began to eat to fuel my body and started saying no to some of the flavours I was desiring. I now try to eat the same thing for breakfast every morning: it’s a specially designed shake rich in fruit, grains, nuts, matcha and protein powder. This, combined with regular exercise and better food choices, has resulted in weight loss, greater energy, no more downer afternoons, and an ability to do life at a fast pace.
I have begun to recognize that we can approach scripture the same way we approach food. We can either ingest scripture for flavour or for fuel. We can nibble on scripture to see how it tastes. If it ‘tastes good’, if it is alive and encouraging, we will eat a little more. However, if it is tedious and not particularly alive we don’t really eat much.
If we don’t fuel our spirits on scripture we experience even greater effects than what we see in our bodies when we don’t fuel it well. If we are really negligent in fueling our bodies we get sick and die. Fueling our spirits is no different.
If we do not fuel our spirits with scripture we begin to lose hope, faith, strength, courage, freedom and life. We grow spiritually sick and begin to live day to day simply hanging on hoping things will get better, and not really filled with all the life the Lord has for us.
Scripture is alive. We need to ingest the Truth regularly or we will not be truly alive. We will not be spiritually energized. Eating scripture regularly to fuel our spirits leads to good spiritual health, while nibbling on scripture irregularly leads to poor spiritual health.
Bottom line: the Word of God fuels us. We need to determine to fuel our spirits well by ingesting scripture regularly. By ingesting it I mean reading, memorizing, meditating on, or studying it. Initially committing to do this can feel more like duty than delight. However, as we commit to fuel ourselves on the Truth, the Spirit of God shifts our hearts.
As we feed on the Word of God our tastes change. Initially it may not taste like what you are hungry for, but as you choose to fuel your spirit on God’s Word you will shift from duty to delight. Choosing to feed yourself on scripture to fuel your spirit will create the healthy spiritual growth you desire.
Let’s feed on the Word for fuel, not just for flavour. Let’s fuel up on Truth and not just look for what tastes good.
Hebrews 4:12
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Joshua 1:8
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
James 1:22
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
Matthew 24:35
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”
Psalm 119:105
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”