Opinion : “Food for the Soul”

So, what’s your favorite part of the Christmas season?  Let me guess- gifts and presents, or family and friends, or snow and decorative lighting, or the manger and the Christmas story, or food and fellowship?   Most likely, you have a combination of favorites like myself.  In any case, you’re probably planning to enjoy an extra special Christmas meal with your family and friends.   Big events like Christmas deserve big celebrations- and this means good food: turkey or honey-baked ham, twice-baked potatoes, fresh vegetables, a generous helping of mom’s / grandma’s Christmas cookies, and a bottomless supply of egg nog.  I’ll let your imagine take over if I’ve missed something...  

But, the interesting part about good food is this: it brings only temporary satisfaction.  No matter how much money is spent or how long the meal or how many courses are planned, the bodily satisfaction will gradually disappear, leaving us with want for more.  Such is story of human life- temporary, fleeting pleasures that gratify for a short time, then fizzle and die.  Even the most satisfying remembrances of last year’s Christmas presents have probably faded from your memory.  There simply aren’t many things in this life that can provide lasting satisfaction, continuing joy, and enduring happiness.  But that is not to say there is nothing that satisfies.  There is a kind of food that will satisfy, and has satisfied countless millions who have sought it.

Jesus Christ said, "People do not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" Matthew 4:4 NLT**.  Jesus was making a simple point: people need two kinds of food- one for their body and one for their soul. Just as the stomach needs food for daily, even hourly nourishment, so also the soul must have its food in order to be nurtured.  In other words, there is a greater, life-giving kind of food that isn't served by human hands or eaten at a dinner table. This food is the Word of God, the Holy Bible, and can give us real, lasting, satisfying life and joy.  To neglect either table food or the spiritual food of God's Word is death.  Both are necessary, but only one kind of food can give you real life, both now and forever.  This was indeed Jesus' entire purpose- to offer us eternal life. He said, "My purpose is to give [you] a rich and satisfying life" John 10:10b.  Table food is able to sustain your body for a long time, but will it keep you from dying?  Can it give you a 'rich and satisfying life?'  Not really.

The unavoidable problem is this: we have all sinned and broken God's Law (lying, stealing, cheating, anger, impatience, bitterness, jealously, to name a few).  And since we have all sinned at least once and broken God's Law, that means we deserve whatever penalty the law requires.  That penalty is eternal death and separation from God forever.  This is bad news: "For the wages [penalty] of sin is death..." Romans 6:23a.

Now, if there were no good news, I don't suppose we would have much to be thankful for this Christmas season.  But there IS good news!  Jesus Christ offers to take your death penalty and give you eternal life, but on two conditions.  First, you must repent (forsake) your sins to God.  “If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” 1 John 1:9.

Second, you must believe that Jesus Christ is God, that He alone offers you salvation, deliverance from sin, through His own death, burial and resurrection.  “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9.

Here's the best, satisfying, joy-giving food you could ever digest: "For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life" John 3:16.  Now that's some delicious food for the soul!