Spiritual Eating 4

	Fingerprints of God

    As we continue to compare spiritual eating with physical eating we come to the parallel of food being changed into usable products that the body needs to function and thrive. Food is taken into the mouth, chewed, swallowed, and broken down in the digestive tract of the body. As it is broken down, the food is absorbed into the body, carried through the blood stream to the cells of the body where it is used as fuel and building material for the body. For example, suppose you eat a steak for dinner. The meat itself is protein. Once chewed and swallowed, the protein is broken down into smaller molecules called amino acids. These amino acids are then transported to cells in the body where they are used to build new proteins that the body needs. Let us examine how this relates to the spiritual truth of eating.

    The Bible says in Romans 10:17 that, "...faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God." First, let it be understood that ‘word' in this verse literally means the spoken or preached word. (We will deal with this specific point in more detail in a later article.) Therefore, it fits with our parallel that spiritual eating involves hearing. Now, we have one who has heard the preached word, chewed or meditated on it, and swallowed or believed it. Look now at what Paul writes in First Thessalonians 2:13, "For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe." Notice the phrase ‘effectually worketh' which means to be at work for one, to aid, or to effect. This spoken word that they heard was actively working to produce something in them, something that would change them forever. But why does that word not work on all who hear it? They are not magic words. The words themselves have power only by the Holy Ghost that makes them effective. Compare First Thessalonians 1:5 which says, "For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake." Also, in Hebrews 4:2 we see, "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it]." There was no profit because they did not believe what they had heard.

    Let's go back to our physical analogy of eating. The food enters the body but must be acted upon by other complex processes to be of any use. Remember the example of protein being broken down to amino acids. The amino acids combine with other amino acids in different sequences to build new proteins for the body to use. The spiritual parallel is this- God is looking for faith in His word from the hearer. When He finds faith, He acts and His actions are life changing. Refer to the story in Matthew 15:21-28. A woman approached the Lord to see if He would help her daughter who was vexed with a devil. At first when the woman asked for mercy for her daughter, the Lord did not respond to her. Then she went to His disciples and they asked the Lord to send her away. Then she once again approached the Lord. The Lord said to her, "it is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to dogs." She replied, "Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." At that, the Lord said this, O woman, great [is] thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour." This woman believed that the Lord could do something for her. She believed enough to ask ,and, ask persistently. And notice what prompted the Lord to heal her daughter- it was her great faith! Remember what Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." You cannot please Him without faith, but when He sees your faith in Him, He will reward your faith. Another support for this is found in the book of James. James 1:5-7 reads, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." Without faith you should not expect to get anything of which you are asking. Let us look at one more verse on this subject. In Luke 18:8 this statement is made, "Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" It is faith that God is looking for in you. When He finds it He is faithful to act upon it. You are given what you need whether it is salvation, or help with some other area in your life with which you are struggling. But if He does not find it then He does not act.

    Now, having said this, let it be pointed out that what is being said applies particularly and not just generally. Again, the illustration of digestion. When you eat meat, it is used by the body in a certain way. And, if you eat bread, it is utilized differently than when you eat meat. Vegetables are used by the body differently than bread or meat. The point being, God feeds us by God sent pastors and preachers. He gives them particular messages depending what we sheep need to eat at the time. For example, suppose you long to be a better parent. But, for the life of you, you feel that you are lacking sorely in that area and no matter what you do, you just do not see yourself getting any better. You pray to God and ask Him to help you be a better parent. Then, later your pastor preaches that God is able to make good parents out of bad parents and better parents out of good parents. And all you have to do to be made into a better parent is to believe that God is able and willing to help you be a better parent! The point being is that God is looking for specific faith in particular matters.

    To summarize, believing the word of God is like swallowing nourishing food. When we swallow the protein from a steak, the body uses the protein to help the body's health. For example, when we are weak from poor nourishment, we become sickly. But when we maintain a proper diet, we are more likely to remain healthy. God, through the preached word gives us the proper spiritual nourishment that we need. And, He gives us the nourishment in a timely manner. When we receive it, that is, believe it or have faith that what God is saying is true for the listener at that time, it is made profitable for us and/or effectual in us. Faith is the link between your need and inability and God's power.