Food is necessary for survival. The human body becomes weak and unable to function properly if it is not properly nourished. People must take care of their bodies by eating well and consuming essential nutrients in order to not only survive but thrive in good health. In one's spiritual life, the same principle applies. Christians require a proper diet of spiritual food in order to avoid becoming weak and weary spiritually in their relationship with God. Regular spiritual nourishment is as important as physical nourishment for the Christian life.
When Jesus was tempted by Satan, He emphasized the importance of spiritual food, saying, "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4, NET). Spiritual food is just as important as physical food because man is both physical and spiritual. God has spoken to us in His Word, the Bible, and this spiritual food is "every word that comes from the mouth of God." His Word gives life (John 6:63).
The Bible frequently mentions the spiritual nourishment we require: God's Word provides milk (1 Peter 2:2), meat (1 Corinthians 3:2), and bread (Deuteronomy 8:3; Job 23:12), and it is sweeter than honey (1 Corinthians 3:2). (Psalm 119:103). "When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, LORD God Almighty," Jeremiah wrote (Jeremiah 15:16). The use of food metaphors in Scripture emphasizes the importance of ingesting God's Word and making it a part of our lives. Scripture is meant to be "eaten" by God's people, not just studied or read. We read the Bible, but then we take a few moments to "chew on it," meditating and reflecting on the meaning and application of what we've read (see Psalm 1:1–3).
Jesus mentioned another type of spiritual food on a couple of occasions. The disciples brought Jesus food from town after He spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well. "I have food to eat that you don't know about," He said, refusing to partake (John 4:32). The disciples were perplexed, and Jesus explained, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work" (verse 34, ESV). Following the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus used a food metaphor to speak about faith, salvation, and His sacrifice: "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day." "For my flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink," John says in verses 54–55.
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