Feeding Yourself

You are a spirit, you have a soul and you live in a body.  We feed our bodies, not always wisely but often.  We feed our souls by reaching for our desires--again, not wisely, but often.  We neglect the most important part of our being--the spirit.  Consequently our spirit is contaminated by our soul which responds to our flesh.  Most Christians depend on one meal a week for the spirit's meal.  The 99% of the time is given to feeding the flesh and soul.  The body will go back to dust but the spirit and soul will go into eternity.  On what we feed will determine that dwelling place.
Philippians 2:12-13 (NLT) ¹² Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. ¹³ For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.   We do not realize how much of our knowledge of God comes from God working in us.  We forget much of what we hear and only slightly less of what we read, but much less than what we speak. Our minds are slow to retain the wealth of knowledge available to us.  But God has given us His Spirit to be our Teacher and Guide.  Prayerfully, with worship and humility, approach the reading of His Word to be taught and fed.  Sometimes you hunger for just reading and you find yourself reading long passages with enjoyment.  Then there are the times when you linger over one verse, or line, or even a word.  His Spirit sets a table before us.

Feeding does not stop with eating.  Digestion must follow to give us the benefit of the food we eat.  It is also true in the feeding of our spirit.  Just as food begins to digest in the mouth and stomach, so our spiritual food goes through a process.  Our soul is very connected to our physical body.  Our mind meditates on what we read.  Our emotions are involved with tears or joy, with cries of petition or shouts of praise.  But what we do in action with what we have read, or meditated upon, will determine what our spirit retains.  Repentance, rejoicing and setting our will to carry through in all our expression, is an important part of our response.  It is also important that we establish our faith in God to do what we cannot, in direct relation to the Word we have just "eaten", whether it is a sermon we have just heard, a study in which we have just participated, or a time in the Word.  Proper digestion results in health and growth that will be evidenced in what we become and do.  We become the light in a dark place.

Covenant Word

The Book of Judges is to me a disturbing book to read, for, while it reveals the love and power of God to deliver, it reveals how willing human nature is to withdraw from God and go the human way.  In covenant, the instigator of the covenant waits for response before taking action.  In the exchange of "tokens" there is identity of covenant and that is a deterrent to those who would attack the person or nation in covenant with a protector.  God's Word is such a deterrent to the enemy of our soul. 
The Book of Ruth is written during the time period of the Judges and I Samuel starts in that same period.  The faith and action of Hannah triggers the end of that period.  I Samuel 1:29 (NIV) ²⁸ So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.  I Samuel 3:21(ESVUK) ²¹ And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord. 
God showed Joshua the way to walking in the fulfillment of God's covenant promise.   Joshua 1:8  (ESVUK) ⁸ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.   David became a worshipper and an addict to God's Word.  When he sinned, the Word showed him the way back to fellowship with God.  Psalm 19:7-14 (NIV) ⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. ⁸ The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.  The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. ⁹ The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.  The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. ¹⁰ They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;  they are sweeter than honey than honey from the honeycomb.  ¹¹ By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.   ¹² But who can discern their own errors?  Forgive my hidden faults.  ¹³ Keep your servant also from willful sins;  may they not rule over me.  Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.  ¹⁴ May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 119:11-16 (NLT) ¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
¹² I praise you, O Lord; teach me your decrees.  ¹³ I have recited aloud all the regulations you have given us.  ¹⁴ I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches.  ¹⁵ I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways.  ¹⁶ I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word.