"for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." Philippians 2:13
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;" 1 Corinthians 6:9
I am part of a generation, that for the first time ever, has a shorter life expectancy than that of my parents. Shorter. As a result of poor diet and poor exercise, my generation is facing a myriad of health problems that are a direct result of what we eat. What does that say about us? We are more interested in the short term pleasure of food tasting great and tickling the taste buds, than we are worried about what that bit of deliciousness is doing in our bodies. That's horrible, and to be honest, as a Christian, that's a hard pill to swallow. What good does it do to live a Christian life, to do everything "right" and not eat right. We spend our days serving others, reading our Bible, caring for our children or working a job, by all human standards we are a great example of a God-fearing person. But then in the evening we open the fridge and eat whatever is there. We eat a large, fatty steak, smothered in butter, followed by a massive bowl of full-fat ice cream, loaded with caramel, and fudge, and all things bad for you. What does that say about our bodies? It says that we don't care. We know that those things are not healthy and will do our bodies harm in the long run, but we rationalize it, saying that we "deserve it."
The truth is, the only thing that we do deserve is death. We are all sinners, and we deserve to die, but Jesus Christ sacrificed and gave up his life so that I might live. I certainly don't deserve to spend eternity in heaven. Yet the one chance I have here on earth to make a difference could be shortened by years, simply because I must eat that steak and ice cream.
So I truly am coming to feel that diet is important. This isn't to say that a treat now and then isn't okay. Indulging in a nice steak once a month is great, it's every day that's bad. It's reaching for that package of frozen macaroni and cheese every day because it's quick and convenient. It's also loaded with preservatives and chemicals that really aren't good for your health. I have a choice each and every time I'm going to prepare a meal. Am I going to honor God and fill my body with nourishing foods? Am I going to eat what I need to to give me sustenance and energy? Or am I going to reach for convenience or opt for the less healthy choice. God gave us a wonderful selection of fruits and vegetables and grains, and he gave us the knowledge to bake bread from those grains, and he gave us the technology to cook those vegetables to perfection every time. He did give us the animals of the earth for our nourishment, but as part of a healthy diet, not to have us eat prime rib every night with maybe a bit of potato on the side.
I want to make it clear and make a point that I'm not talking about "diets" or losing weight. Maybe they're inter-related, but I think that if you first can wrap your mind around the idea of making better choices, that those other things may fall into place. Yesterday at church we talked about the Holy Spirit and how he's always with us to help us. He can help us with this! When you feel that niggling in the back of your mind that you should put the Twinkies back on the shelf, that is the Holy Spirit trying to help you make a wiser choice. When in your gut you know that you should not be eating the meal you are eating, next time, ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. It may sound silly, but try praying before you head to the grocery store. Pray that the Holy Spirit will help you to make wise choices. Why not? I pray when I go grocery shopping that He will help guide me to not spend more than my budget. I pray that he'll keep my from frivolous purchases and help me stay on track. I am living, breathing proof that praying about grocery shopping works, so why not ask for help in being mindful about my choices as well?
We live in a wonderful world and a wonderful time where when we feel that maybe God is trying to tell us something or push us in a direction, we have a wealth of resources at our disposal. We can ask our Pastors if there are any great Christian books or magazine articles about nutrition and caring for our bodies in a Godly manner. We can ask our doctor for advice on what's not healthy for us to eat, and what is okay in moderation. We can go online and look up recipe after recipe for delicious food that is low in bad fats, yet quick and easy to prepare. The bottom line is, we need to take care of our bodies, they really are temples. I am certainly not going to rush out and buy sprouts and granola and goat milk. But I am going to pay attention. I am going to think twice. Yes, those vegetables are delicious roasted with a drizzle of melted butter, but that melted butter is full of artery-clogging saturated fat. Maybe next time I'll try that heart healthy olive oil that I don't use enough of. Maybe instead of reaching for that calorie laden pint of slow churned ice cream, I'll think about having a cup of yogurt instead- full of beneficial probiotics to ward of disease. You can bet that this summer my family will be stopping by an ice cream or two to indulge in a treat, but it will be just that, a rare treat, not something to be done every day.
God cares about us, and he cares about our bodies. He wants us to make better choices that will suit us better in the long run. I'll wrap up with this verse today which totally made me chuckle, and I will say that if this is one of those things that you may be struggling with, pray about it. If you'd like me to pray with you about it, let me know, my e-mail is over there to the left.
"A bowl of vegetables with someone you love
is better than steak with someone you hate." Proverbs 15:17 (NLT)
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