January 15, 2008
Through our church community I have had the opportunity to talk to people that are very passionate and knowledgeable about health and wellness. They informed me that a lot of us have unhealthy eating habits. We think we are satisfied on things like over-processed white flour and saturated fat and high fructose corn syrup – things we don’t even realize are hidden in the convenient foods we eat! While we might feel okay on this diet day-to-day (because we are used to it), we are missing the extra energy and vitality we could have if we ate more nutritious foods….and our poor diet will have long-term consequences for our health.
Why am I talking about this?
I mention this because as I read Psalm 119, I see a writer who is desperately hungry for God. And it’s rare for me to meet someone in my day to day life who is as desperately hungry for God as this ancient writer. Why is that?
Through our church community I have had the opportunity to talk to people that are very passionate and knowledgeable about health and wellness. They informed me that a lot of us have unhealthy eating habits. We think we are satisfied on things like over-processed white flour and saturated fat and high fructose corn syrup – things we don’t even realize are hidden in the convenient foods we eat! While we might feel okay on this diet day-to-day (because we are used to it), we are missing the extra energy and vitality we could have if we ate more nutritious foods….and our poor diet will have long-term consequences for our health.
Why am I talking about this?
I mention this because as I read Psalm 119, I see a writer who is desperately hungry for God. And it’s rare for me to meet someone in my day to day life who is as desperately hungry for God as this ancient writer. Why is that?
“My soul is starved and hungry, ravenous! –
insatiable for your nourishing commands.” (119:20)
I think in the US today we fill our selves up with junk “spiritual” food. We are satisfied with the many entertainment options available to us, the things we imagine buying, the gossip in the lives of people around us, the excitement we feel around someone we are attracted to, the flipping, flipping through channels, website, magazines, etc. I think we fill ourselves up with these things and then don’t feel particularly hungry for God. But just like real junk food, this spiritual diet is keeping us from the abundant life we are meant for and will have long term consequences for our spiritual health.
“Divert my eyes from toys and trinkets,
invigorate me on the pilgrim way” (119:36)
So how do we change our unhealthy eating habits? The health experts informed me that we go on a “cleansing fast.” We take all those things out of diet that are unhealthy, and might even experience withdrawal in the beginning, but the outcome is changed habits and changed hunger. And then perhaps, we can say along with the Psalmist:
“I cherish your commandments-oh, how I love them! –
relishing every fragment of your counsel.” (119:48).
1 comment:
Hi Elise!
Congratulations on finding your rest in Honduras. What a blessing it must be for you to be where you have always dreamed. I am grateful to God for your new home.
It's interesting that you are speaking of fasting. During my prayer time just before a meal at a worship meeting in February, I clearly heard from God to participate in a most earnest way of praying....through fasting. I had only experienced fasting a few times and then only a day or two, but this call was for several weeks. From the start of our kick off campaign at church until the end of the campaign, which worked out to be 5 weeks. Wow, could I do it? I just wasn't sure. But as I researched how to fast, it became clear to me that fasting was not what was MOST important...prayer was the first priority. What was God asking me to pray for? As the next couple of days rolled around, it became clear that I was to pray for your grandma and grandpa, for healing as they moved to the west side of the mountains, away from all they had known for so many years. And second I was to pray for a healing and a vibrant relationship between our church building project and the City of Redmond. The first 2 weeks went very well with this prayer and fasting commitment. Although at first my prayer time was scattered and my thoughts were not focused very well. My prayer time was at an amazing place within 2 weeks. Then I attended your grandparents going away party. It was beautiful. There were so many people there who truly loved and would miss your grandparents. My prayers for them felt answered in a most gracious way. I celebrated with a dinner with them.
But it was back to fasting the next morning.
Then, 4 days later, the doors to our home were replaced. We had ordered the doors 3 years ago! For 4 days I had no peace, with 9 guys going through every part of our home from 7AM until 5PM. No heat, no walls, just 7 huge holes in my house where double doors had been. The doors were installed incorrectly, so the whole dance started over the next week and lasted for another 3 days. I lost my joy. I lost my peace. I lost my intense prayer. I even lost my ability to do my early morning exercise, because there was not enough time. I've had two weeks of nothing but disaster. This week our credit cards were stolen, my eyeglasses broke in half, I lost my bank card, some musicians that I thought of hiring were so "bad" or should I say "not talented" that I wondered how I could have made such huge mistakes in choosing them. Today I decided, since my eyeglasses broke that I may as well have my eyes examined. $1500.00 that I was not expecting to spend because my prescription had changed.....less cash to pledge to our campaign, was my first thought. But now I at least have a current eye exam. My whole world is blurry while my eyes have been dialated. Just one tough week!
And then......I started reading your blog. Thank you, Elise for reminding me that my commitment to God is not over. I just messed up. I can always come back to Him in prayer. I can always come back to Him in commitment. I can always try again. What a blessing to serve a God that loves me so much that in spite of all the excuses I throw out there, He is always willing to let me try again. And what do I have to complain about anyway? I have so much good in my life! I have so much of everything!
And so, Elise, with renewed vigor, I start again. I thank God for your thoughts in your blog reminding me that God has blessed me by meeting every NEED I have ever had and many of my WANTS too. I have loved the many months of eating well. Good, delicous food just as God intended. Without sauces and goodies and sugars and all of the "stuff" I used to long for. The Holy Spirit is with me, waiting to help me. It has been ME who has turned away.
I will be praying for you and your family, Elise.
Blessings to you,
Naomi
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