What Are You Eating?

The ancient Hebrews, wandering in the desert, after their miraculous escape from Egypt where a moaning lot...

Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: "Who will give us meat to eat? "We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!" Numbers 11:4-6 NKJV

Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its colour like the colour of bdellium. Numbers 11:7NKJV (bdellium was a semi- precious aromatic gum resin, similar in colour to myrrh) 

These people were not content with the food that Jehovah God provided for them.... no, they wanted to return to the fare that their masters in Egypt had fed them, a diet that sounded pretty good, but they were forgetting that they were slaves, working and living in harsh conditions. 

Over the years I have met many believers who were not content with the spiritual food that Creator God provided, food that was designed to sustain their spirit and fortify their soul. They lived in a malnourished state. I call them "spiritual fast-food junkies". They have not eaten true spiritual food for so long they've forgotten what it tastes like. 

We all know what happens to a person who eats a poor diet, living on burgers and fries, fizzy soda and the like. We've all seen them, bloated corpses that don't know they're dead.  This is not what God wants for us! We are called to be warriors... lean, fit, trained, ready for the fray.

When I was a teenager I discovered the "horror" genre of literature and for a year of two I read many of the then popular authors. It slowly dawned on me that these stories were "feeding" something deep within my spirit. I watched a few horror movies and began to have terrible nightmares. I cut this "food" from my diet and quickly recovered. Nowadays I WILL NOT watch any of the fashionable crop of vampire/zombie/demonic/horror TV or movies so popular currently. I don't care how crowd-pleasing the TV series "Lucifer" is, it's not on my viewing list.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy; meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8 NKJV  

Many years ago, when I was an immature Christian, a pastor friend of mine gave me a very salient lesson on "spiritual food". I commented that his sermons/lessons were not exactly feeding me in the way that I expected from a pastor! He looked at me and said. "Do I come around to your house at meal-time and spoon-feed you, do I go shopping with you when you buy your groceries, telling you what you need? Likewise, it's not up to me to feed your spirit!" 

Jesus isn't fast food, He is the food that nourishes us... Are you feeding on the Bread of Life?  Jesus said that He is the Bread of Life, by this He is saying that He sustains and strengthens us.

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread they will live forever. This bread is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6:51 NIV

He is all we need. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 NIV

The Psalmist says, "for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things." Psalm 107:9

Luke says, "He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." Acts 14:17

 In I Peter 2:2, that venerable Apostle, Peter says, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby” God's Word  is food for the soul and Peter is implicitly stating that Christians should feed upon the Word as a means of spiritual growth. 

Ancient Job, a man sorely tested far beyond what most of us could stand said...  I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food. Job 23:12

Kyle Idleman wrote this to introduce his book… Not a Fan. “Jesus has a lot of fans these days. Fans who cheer for him when things are going well, but who walk away when it’s a difficult season. Fans who sit safely in the stands cheering, but they know nothing of the sacrifice and pain of the field, fans of Jesus who know all about him, but they don’t know him. But Jesus was never interested in having fans. When he defines what kind of relationship he wants, “Enthusiastic Admirer” isn’t an option… The biggest threat to the church today is fans who call themselves Christians but aren’t actually interested in following Christ. They want to be close enough to Jesus to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires anything from.” 

The Jesus junkie wants fast food…they want another quick meal… They want Jesus to be the drive through window and fulfil their order for a Manna Burger, with fries.

They don’t really want to follow Jesus as His disciples…they just want the benefits of being near Him. Furthermore, they want to be fans. But that’s not why “the living bread” came down from heaven. Jesus well knows and understands our human nature that desires “give it to me now” fast food, but He will not leave that attitude unchallenged. That attitude leaves people spiritually undernourished, lazy and immature.