Eat to the Glory of God

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31



Americans are often overwhelmed by the overwhelming information of how to be healthy. As a pre-teen i was made aware of body physic, for over 2 decades I have been mentally tormented by the fear of being "unhealthy". By teenage years I began to extreme diet, low calorie diets, no red meat, veggie substitutions for carbs, in fact I haven't drank any soda since then. In my later 20's, just a few years ago, as I was crying out to God for wisdom on my health, His Word penetrated through my darkness like a beam of light. Paul writes to the Corinth church, "WHETHER YOU EAT OR DRINK, DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD." As Christians we can invite God into every area of our lives including health and fitness. God desires for his people to honor our temples. Paul questions the listeners in

1 Corinthians 3:16 (NLT)

Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?

These two scriptures renewed my mind from the social and cultural influences, the demonic fear of becoming unhealthy. Pharmaceutical companies, food companies, Hollywood actresses make multi-billion dollars in revenue every time they create a new product, new food, new drug, new diet, new fad. We must become undistracted and not easily influences by media, magazines, tabloids, tv shows, that promote false promises. We need to seek God in his word for answers, for direction and a lifestyle that pleases God. It glorifies God when we desire to keep our bodies (which houses the Holy-Spirit) pure and set apart for His workmanship. The Holy-Spirit wouldn't want to reside in dirty home. It's our responsibility to cleanse ourselves and offer out bodies as holy temples.

We read early in scripture that God created everything in the world and called it good. Genesis 1:29 (NLT) Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. In Deuteronomy chapter 14:14 NLT "These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, 5the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the addax, the antelope, and the mountain sheep." It then goes into which animals to eat or not eat depending on if they were labeled ceremonially clean. However, in the New Testament under the new law, Peter is convicted or judging the gentiles what they eat. Clearly, we see God created our food, and it was nourishment for our bodies.

I believe God wants us to nourish our bodies with real food created by him. When we began to eat man-made food, health is at risk. Typically, side affects aren't instant, but they evolve over time through over-consumption of something that your body doesn't respond well to. How many Americans would prevent diseases if we just changed our consumption to whole-fresh-real foods.

 encourage you to invite God into your health and fitness. If your someone like me who under-ate for years, i encourage you to ask God to give you a healthy relationship with food. Food is fuel. We need fuel to thrive and flourish!

Ultimately God wants us healthy to serve our homes and others well. We must become disciplined people in whatever we do like eating or drinking. We can use our time to eat with our family to strengthen our bodies for God's work.