Monday Meditation - Week #1

I've decided to begin a new series of posts in which I will share my meditations on certain passages of Scripture. Specifically, I want to start by looking at passages that deal with our bodies and how God tells us to care for them.

Since I as a teenager, I've had issues with controlling my weight, mostly because I have not been able to control my eating habits. I shared with my husband this morning that I am often planning when, what, and where the next meal will be. It is taking mental energy away from higher pursuits and I need to get this part of my thought life under control. That is why I have chosen this passage for Week #1:

"This is why I tell you: Don't worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky: they don't sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you worth more than they? ...So don't worry , saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we wear?' For the idolaters eagerly seek these things and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6: 25-26, 31-34 (HCSB)

I know it is long, but there is so much good stuff in here! If you are already familiar with this passage, then stop, take a breathe, and try to read it for the first time.

Done? Me too.

First, is a command from Jesus to not worry! That is an awesome command that is incredibly difficult to follow. I am a programmed worrier, have been since I was a child and had to stay up until my parents came home, just so I knew they were safe.

As a homemaker, I do need to plan to the extent that I should ensure there is nutritious food in the house and that I purchased it at a good price (see Proverbs 31). However, I should follow the example of the birds and not spend an ounce more energy than necessary on the task of food prep.

Unfortunately, even in church yesterday, as I was reflecting on this very passage, I kept thinking about where we would go to lunch. Clearly this is a good passage for me to meditate on this week.


Second, Jesus reiterates how valuable we (humans) are to him (relative to birds). I must remember that my body is God's and is to be used in His service, not to serve my own gluttonous desires.


Third, if I seek God first, then he will provide all of my needs. RC Sproul pointed out in his sermon this week (we were visiting) that when Jesus says first here, he doesn't mean first as an order of activity, like first seek God, then seek shelter, then food and clothing. Instead, Sproul says that God means first as a matter of priority. That was a very powerful realization for me. I think unconsciously, I was putting God first among my activities, instead of my priorities. And even then, he wasn't always first on my to do list, if you know what I mean.

I'd love for you to share what you have been meditating on this week. Either leave a comment below, or write your own post and share the link with the rest of us.