Like the Mother Goose character “Jack Sprat,” I am on a
low-fat diet. Thus you’d think I would have been thrilled this week when I
heard that scientists had produced the world’s first lab-grown burger,
synthetic strips of lean muscle germinated from cow stem cells and fashioned into
a patty. One food expert said it was “close to meat, but not juicy.” Another
tester said it was “chewy and tasteless.” And isn’t that an apt description of
man’s efforts to improve on God’s creation! Chewy and tasteless!
What was wrong with the $350,000 stem-burger? No fat. And, as
everyone knows, the flavor is in the fat—the more “marbled” a piece of meat,
the better it tastes. One day, Isaiah says, The Lord of Hosts will serve His
people a feast of “fat things full of marrow,” meaning, rich food and choice meats
(Is. 25:6). John says, “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast
of the Lamb” when we will exchange the dry “chewy and tasteless” man-made things
of earth for God’s “feast of fat things.” And I am quite sure, though juicy
burgers may be on the menu, it won’t be about the food!
Amidst increasing concern about obesity and poor nutrition comes a new study that multivitamins can cut the risk of cancer by 8%. Over the last 50 years, due to increased use of processed food in American diets, vitamin supplements have become almost essential. The Dep. of Agriculture has spent millions of dollars on a campaign to get Americans to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day—with little effect.
As if speaking to the issue of spiritual nutrition, Jesus said people cannot exist on bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4). But I wonder that our bible study patterns don’t reveal that we treat God’s Word(s) more as a supplement than our daily meal (as if it could only reduce our sinful thoughts by 8%). But the bible is not a supplement; and its effectiveness is 100% (Heb 4:12; 2 Tim 3:17).
Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, refers to the life-changing Word of God more than any other—200 times. “I have hidden [stored up, treasured] your word in my heart that I might not sin against you (v.11). Jeremiah (15:16) spoke of eating the Word. Others compared the Word to milk (1 Peter 2:2), to honey (Psalm 19:10; 119:103) and to meat (Hebrews 5:12, 14). Spiritual life is nourished and sustained, not supplemented, by The Word. Did you eat a healthy breakfast today?
There are few things more satisfying on Planet Earth than comfort foods, usually made of sugar, flour, dairy, and starches, and typically not green. Let’s be honest; most of us eat and drink to satisfy our emotional appetite—called ‘guilty (or sinful) pleasures.’
While people have always had emotional affairs with food, new anti-obesity laws could become as threatening as prohibition was to alcohol. In what could be a model for other cities or states, NY City Mayor Bloomberg wants to pass a bill limiting the size of sodas sold in NY City to 16 ounces. While no one can deny the obesity problem, does anyone really believe increased regulation will reduce waistlines? And ironically, while nutritionists are telling us to eat healthy, the sugar-and-butter seducing Food Network shows are more popular than ever.
Truth be told, food cravings are an expression of the legitimate longings of human beings. While sugar may satisfy that longing temporarily, until people know what those longings represent, and begin to meet them in personal relationship with Jesus, passing heartless laws won’t make a hint of a difference. Unfortunately, nutritionists and politicians will find that hard to swallow.
Scouting the internet these days, I am hearing many new voices of “Christianity”—emerging church movement; the house church movement; prayer movement; prophetic movement; latter rain movement. Then there is Christian Right, Christian Left, and Green Christians, progressive Christians...
Has there ever been a time when it has been more important to hear the Lord’s voice? Paul warns us there will be many false voices, called deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons (1 Tim. 4:1) in the latter days. But good news! We have an assurance from Jesus “My SHEEP hear my voice” (Jn. 10:27). Please Note: He doesn’t say my LAMBS will hear my voice!
Sheep are ruminants, eating a diet of grass and legumes. Mature sheep have eight incisors. Every year after birth they get another pair of them until all eight are in place, enabling them to cut off the grass. Lambs, however, are born with milk teeth that are not strong enough to chew grass; they feed on mother’s milk until they get their first pair of incisors, and begin grazing: no longer lambs; they are sheep.
The analogy is obvious. Peter says “like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation” (1 Peter 2:2). But in order to grow into maturity, we must start eating meat: “solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil” (Heb. 5:14). Only those who have been trained by the Word of God are sheep—only they will be able to hear the voice of the Lord.
