Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. ~I Corinthians 10:31
I think I overindulged a bit last week.
Since our girls were at camp, my husband and I went out to eat more than we normally do. I certainly enjoyed it. But in a quiet moment one night, feeling very full after one of our meals, the verse above popped into my head.
I guess since much of my week was focused on eating, it was only natural that a verse with “eat” in it came to mind! It struck me how interesting it was that out of all the actions that could have been mentioned in this verse, eating is one of them.
So what does it mean for me to eat to the glory of God?
- Avoid gluttony. This is hard for me as I really enjoy eating! However, enough is enough. I don’t need to heap my plate full or take seconds just because the food is available. I think my stomach is shrinking (on the inside, that is!) as I’m getting older, because I seem to fill up on less food these days. However, I still want to keep eating because the food tastes good. Moderation needs to be a priority for me.
- Nourish my body with the food choices I make. I think we’d all agree that there are certain foods that are not healthy for us. I definitely notice a difference in how I feel when I eat mostly fruits and vegetables one day as opposed to lots of fried foods or sweets on another day. I don’t think this means that I have to totally avoid those items, but realize that they’re an occasional treat, with the bulk of my diet made up of healthy foods. As a mother, it’s important to apply this principle to my children, too. Their bodies are growing and, since I’m responsible for most of what goes into their mouth, I should make the best choices I can to help them develop properly and feel their best.
- Be thankful for God’s provision. I know it’s easy to make “saying grace” over a meal just a habit, but surely it brings God glory when we are appreciative for what He’s given us. Also, remember that God created food and I believe He did so for our enjoyment as well as our nourishment! Celebrate the beauty and variety of foods as well as the different textures and tastes. Even the process of eating can be special as we gather our family around the table to share a meal.
In what ways do you think we can glorify God through our eating?
Like you said, we can enjoy food without gluttony. Definitely, God made food for us to enjoy, otherwise there wouldn't be chocolate cake or ice cream or steaks or, well, you get the point!
I always think about the line in the Lord's Prayer: "Give us this day our daily bread" – and there have been many times when I have asked God, "Give me just what I need today, and help me not to crave more." We are so blessed that it's embarrassing to have to pray that, but I do. OFTEN.
I really like that prayer!! Thanks for sharing that.
Oh, I'm so far behind! I didn't realize that your girls were at camp – what a lovely time for you and your husband 🙂 We are working hard to eat only what we need to eat, to not waste food and to teach the girls when enough is enough.
You have plenty of good reasons to be behind! 🙂 Hope all is going well there with all your little ones!
This is a wonderful post, Tracey!
Two verses I like to have posted in the kitchen are 1 Corinthians 10:31 and 1 Corinthians 10:13. The first to remind me to glorify God in all I do. The second to help me in times of temptation to indulge! 🙂
The Lord is currently working on me with your second point above ~ to make wiser eating choices and to be a better example in front of the children. I still fight temptations and bad habits from my college/candy-eating days. I try to meditate on the fact that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and pray for God's help daily to glorify Him with this area.
Thanks for the timely encouragement!