A tantalizing dessert served at the Savoy Grill in London, England |
All this consideration of food and diet can be mind boggling, and some folks seem obsessed with eating just the right thing in order to maintain their health and peace of mind. However, our existence is made up of more than issues like what we eat.
In Mark 7:18b-23 (NAS), Jesus, who was speaking to His disciples, instructs them: "Do you not see that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him; because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated? (Thus He declared all food clean) And He was saying, 'That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts and fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.'"
This scripture points to the central issue we all must face. What we harbor in our hearts is really what defiles us not what we eat on a daily basis. Yes, we do need to watch out for our health. Learning good nutrition habits and watching our diet can help to prolong our physical health. But Jesus was concerned about our heart health....our spiritual heart health.
Often, whether we want to admit it or not, we have thoughts which we know are not pleasing to the Lord; yet, we allow them to remain and eat away at our spiritual health. No one else sees these secret sins but God does. The only time our family or friends become aware of things which we hold in our thoughts or hearts is when we choose to act on them in direct disobedience to God. This is what defiles us and hurts our relationship with others and with the Lord. Our only recourse in redeeming our spiritual health is to quickly confess our sins to God and repent (I John 1:9). By doing this, we are instantly restored to right standing with our Father in heaven.
St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland |
I welcome your thoughts here. I read each one and find myself blessed. Please feel free to comment and share encouragement with others.
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