Nourishing Words

Nourishing Words

Women And Food

As I finished cleaning up the kitchen, I wondered why I felt so stuffed. Had I really eaten that much at dinner? Then I started adding up all the little extras—nibbling while cooking, testing the food before serving it, scraping the yummy gooey stuff off the dessert server, and “cleaning up” my children’s leftovers. No wonder I hadn’t lost weight even though I’d been controlling my portion sizes at meals.

Most women spend a lot of time thinking about and dealing with food. We plan meals, shop for groceries, cook the food, and take care of the leftovers—one way or another. The women in Bible times also spent much of their time planning and preparing meals, particularly during special feasts and observances. Martha was especially consumed with food preparation when Jesus visited her home in Bethany (see Luke 10:38-40).

Jesus seemed to enjoy attending dinner parties with his friends, but he told his disciples that another kind of food was more important to him. Once, when they urged him to eat something, he told them, “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work” (John 4:34). Earlier in his ministry, when Satan tempted Jesus to use his power to turn stones into bread, Jesus told him that people don’t live by bread alone, but by the words that come from God’s mouth (see Matthew 4:4).

Sometimes when we crave a snack, it’s not physical food that we really want. We may have a hungry heart rather than an empty stomach. We might benefit more from filling up with some quiet time alone with God or by opening the Bible and asking him to speak to us. God’s words are calorie free, they satisfy our souls—and they’re much more nourishing than Cheetos.

When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight.

Jeremiah 15:16