Eat HEARTY my friends !

There’s an Amish family who has been selling food near us now for a few years.  They bring fruits, vegetables, even baked goods and they are typically busy selling whatever they bring to their makeshift stand. And for anyone who has never tried their shoo-fly pie, that’s a must in my book !  As you go there and look at all the foods, it’s amazing from year to year to see what God blesses us with to sustain us.  We take what we eat often for granted, especially in a blessed nation as ours, but if it weren’t for God’s graciousness we would all be malnourished and not survive for very long.

When Paul and Barnanbas ventured into the town of Lystra, the fickle folks there were in one moment ready to worship them as gods and the next were stoning the apostle ! But previous to that, the apostle had rightly corrected their misguided worship by preaching truth and part of what he said is this” “. . . ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God . . .Who in times past suffered (permitted) all men to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless He left not Himself without witness, in that He did good, and gave unto us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” (Acts 14:15-17).

Clearly, God created us with free will and most exercise it ignoring or taking for granted the providential care of God for us. How often have you found yourself, even if you do give thanks to God before you eat a meal, saying so mechanically rather than a genuine heartfelt prayer of gratitude for that which you are about to feast on from Him ?!  So as Paul had preached, we sinners imbibe of  snack, and go on our merry way not giving a lot of thought to how gracious He has been to us, but though we too can be ignorant of all the ways God extends His love to us, He does also leave a “witness” just the same to draw our heart closer to Him by such constant reminders as food ! Three “squares” a day is not only a chance to revive our bodies but our spirits when you THINK about it correctly !

Paul also spoke of “fruitful seasons”.  Ever since the flood, God has provided a reliable cycle of seasons each year in which food is grown !  Moses attested to this also, “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”  (Gen.8:22). God planned for food for us for generation to generation !  And the diversity of food is amazing around the world and is a life-sustaining fuel for our bodies, a precious gift from our Lord !!    So no person, atheist or otherwise can legitimately say, after having eaten a good meal or nice piece of fruit:  “God gave me no witness of Himself !”   God did and still does leave us witness in that pear, potato, glass of milk, etc.  –    I’m getting hungry now – I think I’m going to grab a peach and thank God for it too !!