God's view on food

Food has been a big part of my life in different ways. I have loved cooking more or less since I was 6 years old when I started cooking for my stuffed horse. That passion grew and was a big part of my life growing up as I tried to learn as much as I could about it while cooking "all the time". It also lead me to going to culinary art school (which was actually so basic that I lost a huge part of that interest during those years) and also working in some restaurants. It has also been a big part in the way that I hated food through the eating disorders I had for about 4½ years when I was a teenager, and after that, trying to find a balance.

As for now, I study nutrition as you might know so food is still a big part of my life. However, this summer has changed my view of it quite a bit as I have studied God's word on the subject and there are a few different aspects I'd like to speak about concerning this. This does not mean that I am against nutrition - but I don't see it as important in itself anymore. Something can be important in the view of the world, but I believe that the only thing that is really important is God and the things of this world (that is perishable) will only have a value if it is in direct connection to God. God created food to be good, and nutritious, but if God's gift, nutrition or food in this case, becomes more desirable than God himself, then we have misunderstood the whole thing and made it into an idol.

One reason why nutrition can be desirable is because it gives us a (false) hope of a long life without sickness. That however is not what life is about. We have not fulfilled God's calling and God's will for our life through that we are healthy and live a long life. This life is only a shadow of things to come (Col 2:16-17) and instead of seeing nutrition and food as a way of getting a long life, we need to look at it from God's perspective. (And actually, as believers, why do we want to live long on this earth anyways? I can't wait to come home to God and away from the troubles of this world! - Phil 1:21, not that I don't want to live here, but that I don't see value in life in itself apart from God). If you still want to get a long life then look at proverbs 10:27 - The fear of the Lord adds length to life.

God can use nutrition for his purpose - but He stands above nutrition. And that explains why "really healthy" people can still get sick and die in their sickness, and other people who has not lived a healthy life can still live a long life without getting sick. Nutrition/food is not ultimate - God is. Life is not about avoiding suffering of all costs either, God uses suffering for His purposes and His purposes are good. Not that we should seek suffering, but also not so that we should try to avoid it as hard as we can. (But that is another subject I'd like to develop another day). Eternal life is what matters. God matters. Not the things that is perishable. And in that light, we can see what is truly good about nutrition and not what we might think is good about it.

I want to share a few bibleverses:

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ... Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”?... Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. Col 2:16-17, 20-21, 23

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.. Romans 14:17

But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
1 Cor 8:8

They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer... Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.1 Tim 4:3-5, 7-8

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  Col 3:2


“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both. 1 Cor 6:12-13a (I will not be mastered by anything - that goes both ways concerning food; mastered by the obsession of eating healthy and mastered by overeating)

One thing that I have believed is that we need to eat healthy because we are the temple of God. The scripture doesn't teach us that our bodies are a temple of God in the way of that we should try to be without sickness though. If He cared about our bodies in that way, then it would also be "wrong" to get a bruise. It is not our physical bodies that needs to be perfect, God will destroy it anyways and give us a new body when we come to heaven. If it was the physical body that is important then He would not have allowed sickness or allowed Jesus to be beaten and whipped. Our bodies are of no value, it is perishable. We will not bring it into heaven. The way it is a temple of God means that we now have access to a close and personal relationship to God through the new covenant. We don't have to go to a building to meet God, but God lives in us. When the bible speaks about us being the temple, it speaks about sexual immorality (1 Cor 6:12-20) and idols (2 Cor 6:16). It doesn't say that we need to watch what we eat because we are the temple of God. 2 Cor 5:1 speaks about our physical body and there it doesn't refer it to as the temple of God but as an earthly tent - that will be destroyed! 

This doesn't mean that nutrition has no value, because if it has a direct connection to God - then it is of value. It is not wrong to care about nutrition. But it is extremely important to make sure it doesn't turns in to an idol. God is supreme! And in that freedom (of seeing what is of real value - God), I can care about nutrition and food and delight in that but also be willing to give it all up as it ultimately has no value compared to God.

I don't know if I will work with nutrition in the future. Honestly, the more I get to know God, the less I care about nutrition and the more I want to become a missionary and lead people to Christ. But I still know God has a purpose for making me learn all these things and hopefully I will be able to use it as a blessing from God to others.

I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 1 Cor 10:23

Worth everything

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.  
Phil 3:8-9

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Phil 1:21

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me —the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. 
 Acts 20:24

  

New times, The work of God

Part of the beauty of being a believer in Christ is that he will make me grow in him. He is not depending on that we need to be a certain age, stage in life or anything like that. I've heard many times that you mature/change most until you turn 25 and then it slows down (a lot), so I started believing that lie a few years ago, especially as I turned 22,23,24 without seeing much change in me. I knew I would change, but expected it to go much slower from then on.

I turned 25 years last year and I don't think I have changed so much any of my years as I have this past year. Talk about the grace of God!!!
I started school last year, terrified that I wouldn't be smart enough to pass my courses. One of the reasons why I haven't wanted to go to University has been that I have never felt smart enough for it. I seriously believed that there were no chance ever that I would even qualify to get in to any courses on a University level.

I have learned this past year that I'm not smart enough - in myself. This year has only been going good because of the work God has done. Because I was so afraid of failing - I got myself totally depended on God. But I have also learned that my grades or my education doesn't mean anything. It is of no value in itself, or for my own sake.

I read in a book today, written by John Piper, where he explained it perfectly:

"God himself is the great supreme value. Everything else that has any value has it by connection to God."

He also wrote:

"Satan enslaves people in two ways. One way is with the misery and suffering that comes from making us think there is no good God worth trusting. The other way is with pleasure and prosperity, making us think we have all we need so that God is irrelevant."

It is good for us to "reach bottom" in certain areas because it reminds us that we are depended on God and it teaches us to have faith in God - because we don't have anything else that we can trust and hold on to. God doesn't create evil - there is nothing but good in him, but he allows it to happen but always for a purpose. If we go through suffering, then we need to run to God and praise him because he is in control, he is good and it will give us patience and bring us closer to God. If we prosper, then we need to praise God, and remember that it's all because of him.

1 Cor 1:27-31 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not —to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord."

 2 Cor 12:9 (Jesus says to Paul) “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

It is in our weakness that God's power is made perfect!

Paul says in verse 10: That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

We need to make ourselves totally depended on God, but actually, we in ourselves can not even do that! Ask God for it, ask him to lead you right and give your life, your whole life to him. Do whatever it takes! And with that, I don't mean "try not to sin" but I mean, cry out to God, become desperate to find him! The one who seek will find! For the one who knocks - the door WILL open! 

Mark 8:35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 

Jer 29:12-13 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Isaiah 57:15 For this is what the high and exalted One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. 

And the best part is that it is God who will do the work in you! And his Spirit can lead you in everything in life!

Isaiah 30:21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

1 Thess 5:24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. 

Actually I asked God for where that last bible verse were as I couldn't find it, and I flipped one page and there it was! Just one example of how God can lead you!

The best part about being a believer is that God actually really exist and that everything in the bible is actually true! For real!!!

Omega-3/6 ratio

I don't remember anymore what I've already written here and what not but if I don't remember wrong, I haven't posted this one yet. I just saw it and thought it was pretty interesting! Apparently northern Europe has a ratio of 15 which is very high. More omega 3 to the people!