It is written, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)
Has anyone ever asked you what your favorite meal is?
The responses to this question can certainly run the gamut of culinary delights.
It is reasonable to assume that our reaction to this question has changed over time, as our tastes have matured (or maybe not). It is also likely our responses will be based on what it is we experience first when we consume a meal, and that is texture and flavor. The greatest pleasure some individuals derive from consuming their favorite food is the immediate and lingering effect a particular food has on their taste buds.
But perhaps for some, in our excessively health-conscious society, the answer to this question would be based on the nutritional benefit they derive from a particular food. These people are more interested in consuming what will bring them the greatest joy over time, i.e., a healthy lifestyle. They are less concerned with the immediate gratification of taste and texture; they are more concerned with how a particular food contributes to their wellbeing in the long term.
Now, regardless of whether we base our decision about a meal on its taste and texture, or on its contribution to our overall health and wellbeing, there is an inescapable fact about the meal which most significantly contributes to both our desire for taste and our concern for health.
Your words were found, and I ate them,
and your words became to me a joy
and the delight of my heart;
for I am called by your name,
O Lord, God of hosts. (Jeremiah 15:16)
What the prophet Jeremiah is explaining is that, if we desire to get the most out of reading Scripture, we cannot just be listeners of the Word of God. We must actually consume His Words in a way that they ultimately contribute to our spiritual and eternal health and wellbeing.
It is one thing to savor the taste of our favorite meal and to consume foods that nourish our bodies, but it is far more important for us to nourish our spirit. One of the most significant sources of nutrition for our spirit is the Word of God. But we must do more than listen to it.
As an example, many people enjoy watching the cooking shows that are so popular on television these days. The chef takes the audience through every detail in the preparation of a particular meal, and he or she will always take the opportunity to explain to the audience just how delicious the final product tastes. They might, depending on the program, even elaborate on the health benefits of a specific meal. Now if all we do is listen to the Chef explaining his or her process and how good it tastes, but we never labor to prepare and consume the dish ourselves, then we will not derive much benefit.
Likewise, if all we ever do is listen to the Word of God, either proclaimed by someone else or through our own reading of it, then we will never truly savor its joys or allow it to contribute to our spiritual growth. For it to be beneficial to us, we must actually consume the Word of God as though it were a feast for our spirit - because it is.
The way to enjoy the full benefit of the Word of God is to meditate on it, ask ourselves questions about what we read, and then allow the Holy Spirit to reveal the meaning of a particular passage. And finally, like with any good meal, we must take time to digest these Words and then identify practical ways to apply them to our daily lives.
Now we may not always find God’s Words entirely gratifying, just as with some foods we eat for our physical benefit. There will be times when we find the experience of applying God’s Word bitter to our human nature.
So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll; and he said to me, “Take it, and eat; it will be bitter to your stomach, but sweet as honey in your mouth.” (Revelations 10:9)
Our Lord is well aware that He sometimes serves up a bitter dish.
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24)
But we must allow even these bitter meals to do the work of conforming our spirits to His Will.
There will also be times when we listen to God’s Word, but we do nothing to chew on them or make them digestible for our body. Everyone recalls the old trick of holding undesirable food in our mouths as children, like lima beans or liver, with the express intention of spitting them into our napkin the minute our parents turned their backs.
But even when a specific food or a passage from God’s Word does not particularly appeal to us, we should not reject it; it may hold the very spiritual nutrition we need to restore our health or allow us to continue to grow.
All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
The banquet of God’s Word is set, let us go daily to the Feast. God Bless.
Copyright © 2024, Deacon Mark Danis
Image credit: “John of Patmos,” Hieronymus Bosch, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons