By Rae Lynn DeAngelis
Our son gave me a bouquet of flowers for my birthday this year. It was a variegated rainbow of Alstroemeria, which is a type of lily.
While I was feasting my eyes upon their beauty one morning, I was reminded of a Bible verse from the passage of scripture called The Sermon on the Mount. “See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these (Matthew 6:28).
If you’ve followed Living in Truth Ministries for a while, you’ve likely heard us say, “women are a lot like flowers; they come in different colors, shapes, and sizes and add unique fragrance to the world.”
In that moment, God whispered to my spirit, “Rae Lynn, tell my daughters to stop worrying. Worry has become an all-consuming mindset and it is destroying their lives. It was never meant to be this way.”
Intrigued, I decided to look up this verse for its context. What I found blew my mind. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink… Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
Sweet sisters, we can be mindful of what we eat in the sense that we pay attention to our body’s ques relating to our body’s needs, but food is not something that we should stress, worry, or become anxious over. Food is a blessing from God.
“Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water” (Exodus 23:25).
“Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything” (Genesis 9:3).
If food is a blessing from God, why do so often we act like it’s a curse?
“Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death” (Psalm 107:18).
I don’t know of any other verse in the Bible that more accurately describes an eating disorder than Psalm 107:18.
Whether you loath food, love food, or have a love/hate relationship with food, remember, food is a blessing from God. It is meant for our good and is fuel for our bodies so we can live out the calling God has for our lives.
If food is something you continually stress over, I encourage you to commit this scripture to memory:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones” (Proverbs 3:5-6, 8).
Make 2019 the year you start seeing food as God intended it to be – both a blessing and fuel for your body.
Happy New Year!
