“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are” ( Jean Anthelme Brillat). Ouch! What a powerful quote. If we were to apply this quote to our lives, what would our food reveal about us? What would it reveal about who we are? For the Israelites, this would truly be a significant question considering the specific instructions that were given to them by God in choosing, preparing and cooking of their foods.
For more information on God’s requirements regarding food for the Israelites, see these articles:
(1) Kosher Introduction-Healthy Choice?
(4) Why Should God Care about what I Eat?
The fact is the entire lifestyle of the Israelites aligned with their identity. Their foods were meticulously chosen, carefully prepared because they were God’s chosen people—a holy nation.
Through the bloodline of Jesus Christ, we too received that blessing (1 Peter 2:9). Are we any different, then? Therefore, the foods we select should also be the best. In other words, whatever is in our power to choose should always be the best. That means some of us can do better in terms of the foods we choose to eat. We are making choices everyday regarding our health in terms of the food we eat.
But what about our bodies that should be living sacrifices to God (Romans 12:1)? Should we offer to God recklessly cared for bodies? In Biblical times, if an animal was maimed or even had a spot, it could not be offered as a sacrifice to God. God is holy; He demands the best even when it comes to something so personal and intimate as our bodies that He “knitted together” (Psalm 139:13).
Understanding the importance of health and wellness from a spiritual standpoint is the key to living a purposeful, contented, healthy, wholesome, sustaining and long life. We are spiritual beings living in bodies. Why then are we approaching health and wellness from the physical perspective? As a result, we struggle to lose weight. We struggle to live balanced lives. We struggle to remain emotionally balanced. We struggle to exercise…Because we are not connecting our spirits with our bodies and minds, we continue to live compartmentalized lives. The 10 Commandments for Living a Health and Fit Life are ten principles found in God’s words for living a healthy and well life. These principles are the keys to changing our way of thinking in regards to our health. If we want change in any area of our lives, we have to change our thinking FIRST. To do so otherwise is like trying to renovate an old house. It gets a new paint job; some fixtures are changed on the inside and outside, even the yard may be freshly landscaped. But inside –the core of the house, the pipes are bad. Eventually, things begin to fall apart, like the plumbing system. The sewer may leak or other problems develop. If thinking is not changed FIRST, problems reoccur. Scripture tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. This scripture is applicable to all areas of our life and very well should be. How does God require each one of us to eat? We find out by renewing our minds according to His words. Check out the health and wellness bible study and its online course coming in 2014 to learn how.
