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I will not make...offerings to the Lord with that which costs me nothing. (1 Chronicles 21:24 NKJV) |
Did you know that saying ‘no’ to food can be an act of worship? Even though I’ve ‘cracked it’ so to speak regarding maintaining my own weight, it can still be challenging to resist tempting food when my body doesn’t physically need it. This happened the other day when I was having a meal with friends in Italy. After the main course we were offered fruit and I felt that I would be comfortable eating an apple, which I did, believing that this would be the end of the meal. However, our host then offered us walnut ice cream – one of those ‘only in Italy’ masterpieces! Everyone else accepted but I was now satisfied and to have eaten more would have left me feeling stuffed. My flesh screamed but I managed to smile and said, ‘Non, grazia.’ And then I remembered the words from our opening text and in my heart there was that familiar warm glow which comes when I know that God is pleased. Worship isn’t just singing hymns and choruses; it’s a lifestyle, whereby we are continually seeking deeper ways of self-giving. Romans 12 verse 1 exhorts us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God – easy to do in a sentimental prayer, but harder to do in the nitty-gritty ordinary things of life! When we feel to say ‘no’ to food either because we are already satisfied or because nutritionally it is the wisest decision and we know that, for us in this moment, it is the action God requires, we can do so either begrudgingly or willingly. I can either resent the Holy Spirit leading me to deny myself or I can turn it into worship, offering up that which I have refused as a virtual 'whole burnt offering' to Him.
God isn’t concerned with the outer man but He looks into our hearts. When, out of our submission to God, we obey His inner promptings and yield to His will, we are telling God: ’Lord, I love you more than I love this food.’ There's no competition really, is there? By the way, I was offered walnut ice cream again a few days later. I was still hungry and it tasted fantastic – well worth waiting for!
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Past Thought for the week messages 
