Eating Well; Psalm 107, Proverbs 13

May the mumbling commence!

Our entire beings are connected.  The physical is affected by the spiritual – as they are affected by the mental.  When it comes right down to it, we need God in our lives.  Anything short of having God in our lives is foolishness.  We become malnourished and impoverished. 

Indeed, it is an ugly sight.  Such malnourishment and impoverished living leads to the grave and death.  That’s trouble with a capital “T”.  Will we call upon the Lord in our trouble and distresses?  If we do, it will mean our salvation.  Read from Psalm one-hundred seven:

Fools, because of their transgression,

And because of their iniquities, were afflicted. 

Their soul abhorred all manner of food,

And they drew near to the gates of death. 

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,

And He saved them out of their distresses. 

He sent His word and healed them,

And delivered them from their destructions. 

Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,

And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 

Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,

And declare His works with rejoicing. (Verses 17-22)

In Psalm one-hundred seven, there is a pattern in stanzas.  First, the transgression is listed.  That part is in dark red.  Then, the people realize their dreadful position; and they cry out to the Lord.  That part is in blue. 

And the Lord answers them and saves them.  God sends His Word and heals them and delivers them from the calamities that they have brought on themselves.  That part is in dark pink. 

The last part of the stanza tells us what we should have been doing in the first place.  That part is in green.

We do things our own ways, and give ourselves a particularly bad case of the blues.  We become malnourished and impoverished in our attitudes and our thinking.  These things lead us into bad words and actions.  Unfortunately, we often do not see our error until the actions have piled up beyond denial.  And that pile is often mountainous.

Let us give thanks to the Lord for the goodness He provides us.  Our Creator has many wonderful works, and they’re right under our noses.  Stop and smell the flowers.  Stop and tend to your own biorhythms.  Stop and tend relationship with God and with the people in your life.  These things are essential. 

Many of the things that drain our time and energy are not essential.  It is these types of things that we need to sacrifice to the Lord.  If we willingly give them up, it will be a cause for thanksgiving and rejoicing.  Stop trying to hold onto things that are not ours to begin with.  Stop trying to keep up with the Jones’.  Stop the rat race to the top of your career.

Be satisfied with what God provides for us.  Revel in the relationships that God has given us to maintain.  Worship God in this way.  Then we will eat well from the fruit of our mouths, which will show the state of our hearts and minds.  This foundation of being first will show great fruit in our actions. 

We will be called blessed.  We will bless our Creator.  And the people around us will also share in the blessings.  Read from Proverbs chapter thirteen:

A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth,

But the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence. (Verse 2)

Eat well.  Eschew violence.  Taste and see that the Lord is good. 

Enough mumbling for now… 

Peace Out