A Loving Challenge to My Fellow Eaters

A chocolate-chip cookie. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dear consumer of food,

I'm not concerned at this moment with whether you're a healthy eater, a glutton (ahem...like me...), or someone who barely eats at all.

I'm challenged to think about the reason God gives us food.

Yes, of course it's because we need it, and He loves us.  But what do we need it for?

To keep our hearts beating?  Sure, but beyond that, what?

Lately I've been having auditory memories of the same few words:  the words my father habitually said as "grace" before our meals.

"Thank You, Lord, for this food.
Please nourish it to our bodies, and our bodies to Thy service.
In Jesus Name, Amen."

Grammatical error aside, there was some awfully good theology in that prayer, but I never paid attention to it as a child.  Never, in fact, until it began echoing in my brain a few days ago...decades after I stopped hearing him say it.

"Nourish it to our bodies, and our bodies to Thy service."

I prayed it aloud at our dinner table last night for the first time.  Not the exact words, but the same concept.  "May we never forget that you created us in Christ Jesus to do good works, which You prepared in advance for us to do.  Help us to remember always that the strength which You give us through food is to be used for serving You."

Suddenly, the meal felt holy.

Will you join me in looking at food this way?  That's my challenge:

- To the healthy eater:  Do you eat healthy food only so you'll feel great and look great, or so that you'll be fit to carry on in His service?  Will you pray about that before eating?

-  To the glutton:  Will you...will I... commit to praying such a dedication before we consider doing what we always do... indulging simply because we loooove (worship?) food?  Is this handful of chocolate chips something we honestly could consume to His glory and His service?

-  To the anorexic/bulemic:  Can you thank God that this food is designed to strengthen you for the good works He designed for you to do, and then consume it for His glory, with thanksgiving?

Please comment below if you're willing to join me in this.  Thank you!