Food for the Soul

There are times it is easy to tell a person believes God’s word is a precious treasure and more valuable than what this life can offer. A well-worn Bible can be an indicator. Some who cherish the word mark their Bible and take notes in it. My mother’s Bible was one like that. It testified of her desire to gain a heart of wisdom through the study of scripture.

A ministry that serves persecuted Christians in restricted and hostile countries shared, that when believers in those areas have access to a Bible, that Bible lasts about five years. It wears out from frequent use and sharing. We are fortunate in the US to have easy access to the word of God. Many of us own more than one Bible.

I wonder if that blessing is a detriment to us. Do we take the Bible – God’s holy word for granted? Are we/am I guilty of believing it will always be available?

A Meal or Junk Food
Many times, throughout scripture God refers to His word as food. A food for our souls. It is a fair assumption that we should read a little from it every day. Think of it like this… most often we daily eat food to sustain our physical bodies, usually multiple times per day. It would be absurd to never or rarely eat, then sit at a meal and eat for hours or eat non-stop all day and then not touch food again for weeks or months. Unfortunately, I know people who do that with their souls. When life becomes chaotic, I am guilty of taking it in, like fast food or junk food style by grabbing a verse here and there hoping that will hold me.

God Says
“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35, NIV)

“God’s laws are pure, eternal, just.They are more desirable than gold. They are sweeter than honey dripping from a honeycomb. For they warn us away from harm and give success to those who obey them”  (Psalm 19:9-11, TLB)

Breakfast and Dinner
Taking a little of God’s word daily is like feeding our soul to sustain it with life and nourishment. A suggestion, try reading a little in the morning and a little in the evening – like breakfast and dinner for your soul. God will reward your efforts. He guarantees it.

For Further Study
Read and meditate on Matthew 4:1-4, John 6:26-35. Do you take from God’s word daily? If not, what stops you? What has taken priority? Is there something in your schedule you need to let go of? Do you find yourself being a Bible fast-food junkie? Let me encourage you to taste and see that the LORD is good!

Prayer
Father God, forgive me when I neglect taking sustenance from Your word. I need Your word to understand who You are, I need it to give me life and quench the eternal thirst in my soul, and to provide strength for endurance.

Thank You for being the bread of life. Cause me to hunger and crave Your word. Refresh me with Your living water. Teach me to work for food that endures to eternal life. Satisfy me with Your presence. Thank You for recording and preserving Your word throughout all time. You are wonderful! You are the Living God who satisfies a soul longing for nourishment and strength. Thank You.

Praying hands image by Tep Ro from Pixabay.