January 11, 2010

Day 10

Weight: 204 lbs

Weight lost: -2

“I have food you know not of…” John 4:31

I’m in a reflective mood this morning, needing to ponder and pen some basics, to remind myself what I’m doing here and why. Bear with me…

I love to eat.  The tastes, the aromas, the subtle textures, even the sight of food fascinate me.  God could have packaged our necessary nutrients in vitamin pills.   But no, he made kiwi fruit and brook trout and new red potatoes and honey and…  Food.  It is a huge part of our lives.  And more than just sustenance, food means fellowship with friends.  In the feast of our Lord food is even worship!  Jesus loved to eat.  In the gospels we often see him eating at feasts, or in the home of some repentant sinner, or turning water to wine at a wedding banquet.  God blesses food!  It is one of his many precious gifts to us. 

Jesus is sitting beside Jacob’s well in Samaria.  His disciples have gone off to town to retrieve some food.  Jesus is tired, and thirsty, and hungry.  But as he sits and waits for his lunch and strikes up a most remarkable conversation with a wayward woman.  In her excitement the woman leaves Jesus and runs to town to tell the town’s people that she has found the Messiah.  Now the timing of this story is fascinating.  Just as she is leaving the disciples return from town with some food.  They say “eat Master.”  But Jesus responds “I have food you don’t know about.”  What food?  Did someone bring Jesus something to eat?  The mystery flies over the disciple’s heads.  “My food” says Jesus “is to do will of Father.”  What is Jesus saying?  He is acknowledging another energy source.  He is claiming that his ministry to this women has literally revived his strength.  Truly, Jesus did live by bread, but not by bread alone.

We humans are not mere animals.  Of course we need nutrition to feed our bodies: proteins and carbohydrates and minerals.  But our spirits are fed by a different Life source.  Unlike any other creature we co-existing in two universes: the world of time and space, and dimension of the spirit.  And both realms require their own energy systems.  When our stomach is empty, we fry a hamburger or make a salad.  But what do we do when we’re spiritually hungry?

Nutritionists use to talk about the four basic food groups: dairy, meats, fruits / vegetables, and starches.  The Bible talks about basic spiritual food groups as well. To feed our spirits we need to balance our diets with:

·         Milk: the elementary truths of the gospel (Hebrews 5:12).  We need to understand the fundamentals of our faith. Knowing truth feeds our spirit. 

·         Meat: the “solid food” of righteousness (Hebrews 5:13). We need to move beyond knowing the basics to live-out our faith in a righteous lifestyle. Practicing truth feeds our spirit.

·         Fruit: the evidence of the Spirit in our transformed character and transformed relationships (Galatians 5:22).  We need to live our faith in our love for one another. Practicing love feeds our spirit.  

·         Bread: the bread of life is Jesus himself, his own body, and now His church (John 6:35).  We need to experience the presence of God. Knowing and practicing the presence of God feeds our spirit. 

“God, I have food… Along with Jesus, this is what I say and claim. I have food that you have provided, and both physically and spiritually I am filled and content and nourished, already. I thank you for this. Thank you for the food you provide me. I don’t need more. I have enough. I have plenty. In Jesus…”

“The Eucharist Diet” adventure is my six month experiment taking daily communion and tracking and posting the results in my personal life, relationships, health, and body fat percentage.