Have you ever had a taste for a specific meal? I’m a huge foodie, and plan out my meals in advance. Weekends are usually my time to splurge and I treat myself to takeout. Recently, I’ve discovered a love for Jamaican food. Last weekend, I ventured out to a new place, but it didn’t quite hit the spot. I decided to revisit my favorite Jamaican spot. With my meal picked out, I called ahead before leaving work. There is almost always a wait despite pre-ordering, but I knew it’d be worth it. I raced home, let my dog out, and sat down to devour my highly anticipated meal. The aroma of Escovitch King fish, mixed vegetables, and rice with beams filled my kitchen. I opened the box to see an oddly shaped piece of meat. The previous time I ordered King fish, I received an actual fish with scales, fins, etc. This time a thick slab of mystery meat sat in the middle of my plate. Each bite had me guessing a new possibility of meat. Was it chicken? No wait that bite tasted kind of fishy. Isn’t goat on the menu? Oh my god, what did I just eat? The fish-steak left my taste buds unsatisfied. In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have eaten it and instead returned it to the restaurant.
Those who know me personally know that I eat a very strict diet. The mystery meat could have made me sick. Instead I chose to eat it. My appetite clouded my judgement and I devoured the entire meal. How often have we as Christians done the same thing? We feed on things of this world as a result of our desires. Social media, the news, and peer pressure constantly bombard us with all sorts of information. An example would be a television show that everyone discusses at lunch with one too many sex scenes and profanity. Or maybe it’s the music artist who posted a scandalous video. The fear of missing out or cravings for fleshly things result in partaking of something that could damage our spirit. In the end, we’re left unfulfilled. The more we feed on earthly things, our focus changes and we deprive our spirit man. The saying “you are what you eat” becomes undeniably true. Instead of reflecting Christ, we imitate the culture around us.
So, what should we do? Just like we’re selective about what we put in our physical bodies, we should carefully consider what enters our spiritual ones. The Holy Spirit lives within us. The same power that raised Christ from the dead empowers us to say no to the desires of the flesh. When we read God’s Word, it builds up our spirit man. We become more like Christ changing our appetite. Our focus will be on things above and not on the fleeting cares of this world.
Be encouraged! :)
Written by Christa Martina
FB page: See Martina Write
Scripture References:
Romans 8:12-14 (NLT) “Therefore, dear brothers and sisters,you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
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