Food For The Spirit of a Man

“Then you will understand what is right and just

    and fair—every good path.

For wisdom will enter your heart,

    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

Discretion will protect you,

    and understanding will guard you.”

Proverbs 2:9-11

 

If you want to grow physically you need to eat food.

If you want that growth to be healthy then you need to eat good food.

When I was growing up my generation was educated about the food pyramid.

We were taught the importance of a balanced diet made up of the four main food groups.

Man is a three part being; spirit, soul and body.

What is true of the body is also true of the soul and the spirit of a man.

They, too, need food to grow.

The spirit of a man, made alive through Christ, is nourished through the Word of God.

Far too often we feed our bodies but neglect our spiritual food.

Like the child who refuses to eat their vegetables, we claim the Bible can be confusing and sometimes difficult to understand so we fail to nourish ourselves on the food God provides.

Most parents can identify with the strong-willed child who is determined not to touch what is good for them on their plate only to beg for the dessert when it is brought out.

Or maybe we agree to ‘eat’ the food the Bible provides as long as someone else prepares it and serves it.

But still -

No broccoli, no asparagus, certainly no lima beans.

No sin, no discomfort, certainly no cross to bear.

I am 57 years old.

Barring any physical limitations, how ridiculous would it be for my wife to spoon feed me my meals?

And yet some believers fast all spiritual food until Sunday morning when it is fed to them.

Please don’t hear what I’m not saying.

We need the preaching of the Word.

We need to know what God would speak to us through the leadership He has put in place.

But we also need to understand that we must know how to ‘feed ourselves’.

To go into His Word and listen to His voice as He, by the Holy Spirit, instructs us.

I want to continue to grow in the things of God.

That means I feed on His Word.

That means I ask Him for understanding in areas I lack it.

God does not rejoice in our ignorance.

God wants us filled with knowledge and understanding.

Are you hungry?

Do you want to grow spiritually?

Get into the Word of God.