Wednesday, April 29th, 2009 "Feeding Time"

FUSION Devo: Wednesday, April 29^th, 2009
Title: Feeding Time
Text: 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (NIV)
¹⁴But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, ¹⁵and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

I am certainly not a food expert, but it is no secret that I am a man who likes to get his grub on. Eating is something I love to do and I begin thinking about my next meal about the time I finish my current one. I joke about the fact that I go to the gym 4-5 days a week and workout like a crazy man simply so I can eat. I have been gifted by God in many ways. However, have a working metabolism is not one of those gifts.

A few months ago, while on our whirlwind, 6 countries in 12 days, trip to Europe, besides the fact that we were going to see amazing sites like The Louvre & Eiffel Tower in Paris, St. Mark’s Cathedral and take a gondola ride in Venice, hear the ringing of Big Ben’s bells and see Buckingham Palace in London, my buddy and I were equally as excited by the fact that we were going to enjoy some fabulous food. We were not disappointed. Food has always been a big part of my life. Probably too big.

As much as I am a lover of food, I often forget the fact that without the nutrition we receive from food and water, life as we know it would be very different. It is obvious when I look at videos and pictures of the people from underdeveloped countries that food is not something I should crave or find guilty pleasure in, but should be thankful for and cherish. Sure, I may say a quick blessing over my meal, but when was the last time I really thought about what life would be like without the food I was about to shove into my mouth? The sad fact is that statistics show that poor nutrition and starvation plays a role in the deaths of over 5 million children each year. It breaks my heart that people are going to bed each night without food in their bellies, and because of that lives are ending.

How come we don’t look at our spiritual health in the same way? Why is it that we don’t take the time to give ourselves the spiritual nutrition we need to remain happy, healthy and production followers of God? I mean, as an athlete, we preach the necessity of drinking and eating enough and taking in all of the appropriate nutrients they need to perform at their highest level. But we neglect the things like, prayer, study and fellowship that enable us to grow and be the Christians we should be and through those things help us take on the tasks that are in front of us on our Christian journey. Why is it so hard to understand that when we fail to make the time to feed our souls, we are starving our spiritual selves and killing the power of Christ that resides within us? How can I perform at my highest level for God if I am slowly killing my soul?

I have no problem rolling out of the bed, starting the coffee marker, feeding my children and making sure that I shove something in my mouth every morning. I make sure that I carry my lunch out the door or make plans for lunch each day. I would never go to bed without making sure myself and family have enjoyed a good meal. But daily I struggle with making sure I find the time to speak with God, spend time reading and studying God’s word and making sure that I have enabled by children to crawl up into the lap of Christ. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve fallen asleep in the middle of a prayer as I lay in my bed. I am ashamed by the number of days I have pushed by personal time with God back and back and back until I just say, “Oh! Well I’ll just read double tomorrow.” And through all of the selfish acts of placing a greater priority on my scheduled instead of giving God the first booking of my day, I am starving my soul that is so desperately craving the power, love and wellness that is graciously and generously given by God. It has got to stop.

We must all do a better job of keeping ourselves spiritually healthy. The world is banking on us filling our plates with so much stuff that we make no room for God. It is a serious need for us to remove the garbage intake and replace it with a healthy portion of the presence of God in our lives, everyday. Can you imagine a world filled with healthy Christ-followers? The impact would be world changing. Let’s do it. It is feeding time!

Something to Think About:

• Would you consider yourself a Spiritually Healthy person? Why or why not?
• Do you spend enough time being spiritual fed each day? How?
• What are some other ways you could become healthier in your spiritual walk?
• How can God use you to help spiritually feed those who may not even realize they are starving?

A Few Minutes with God:

God, I know that spending time with you each day is a must if I desire to be the person you have called me to be? Help me to make you a priority each day and allow you to fill my soul with the things I need to spiritually grow and serve your people. Forgive me to allowing my schedule to dictate when I meet with you. And I pray you will help my passion for you word to become so apparent in my life that others see it and want to follow that example. Amen.