As the date for things getting back to normal gets pushed even further into the future, the need to be feeding our families grows even more important. The things we often take for granted are not as readily accessible in times such as these, but there are still ways to creatively and effectively pursue what we need.
If the food in our pantry ever dwindles, we usually have the freedom to go out to eat or to run to the grocery store without a second thought. Yet now that process has become more complex. There is no sitting down in restaurants for a meal and we have guidelines and considerations for every trip to the store that we take. If we are to take social distancing recommendations seriously, then feeding ourselves physically will look different than in typical times. However, with drive-thrus and grocery pick-up available, we can still get what we need and much of what we are used to. (Except toilet paper for some reason…)
When tempted by the devil in the desert, after a 40 day fast, Jesus resists the temptation to turn stones into bread and His words are illuminating for a time such as this:
But he (Jesus) answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Matthew 4:4
I trust that all of us are doing whatever we can to make sure that our families don’t run out of food (“bread”), but what are we doing to make sure that our family’s spiritual stomach does not grumble with the pain of not being fed?
what are we doing to make sure that our family’s spiritual stomach does not grumble with the pain of not being fed?
Let’s look at these needs from another angle. With schools closed, it has been amazing to see the creative resilience of teachers and students alike in taking advantage of the blessings of technology to keep on pace with what they know they need to learn. With online conference calling, applications and messaging, our education system is still working hard to make sure that our students stay on track for their goals.
The book of Proverbs, speaks about what true knowledge, wisdom and insight are all about. In Chapter 9 verse 10 it says:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
Proverbs 9:10
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
As followers of Christ, we believe that a reverent and respectful awe (“fear”) of God is essential in our pursuit of truth. In a time where there are so many things changing every single day there is an ever evolving body of statistics, theories and essential information. With all that data swirling around, what are we doing to feed our minds so that we ground our thinking in He who does not change?
We should be concerned for the physical well-being of our families. We should be concerned with the mental development of our families. In our pursuit of God, we need hearts that beat for Him and minds that think for Him. Yet, we need to feed ourselves spiritually as well. We each have a soul that hungers for God daily.
Do we have the same passion for making sure that our souls, that piece of us that hungers for God, is well-fed, cared for and thriving?
Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37) Within our families, and even within our own lives, we would not shirk the responsibility of providing food to keep our bellies full and our hearts beating. We would not ignore the need to keep our minds sharp for our work, or to make sure that those in our care keep their minds sharp for school. Do we have the same passion for making sure that our souls, that piece of us that hungers for God, is well-fed, cared for and thriving?
There are many different churches, organizations and individuals who continue to innovate in finding ways to spread Truth, encouragement, community and prayer to those of us who cannot gather together in a building. Technology has become a beautiful thing in making sure that we can stay fed, in every sense of what it means to feed ourselves. We are extraordinarily blessed to have access. It is my prayer that we approach our soul’s hunger with the same creative resilience that we have used in feeding our bodies and our minds.