Chew Your Food!
Do you feel isolated? Here is an excellent Bible study start to nourishing your soul on God’s Word.
Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EST.
“I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways” (Psalm 119:15).
My husband’s maternal grandmother was a delightful woman with characteristics and actions that still bring laughter as we recall her presence with us. She placed high emphasis on “looking good” and so she occasionally wore one of her nicely trimmed hats while hanging laundry on the backyard line. (Who knew when some stranger might drive in and see her?) Another comment grandchildren remember was an emphatic, “Chew your food!” Some insist that she even said each bite should be chewed 100 times before swallowing.
Life Lesson: Biblical perspective on the end times
Experience It: Walk in the power of the Holy Spirit
Swallowing food without adequate chewing certainly isn’t good on the digestion, but there is another kind of swallowing that has far more negative effects. How many of us open our Bibles or devotional books each morning and quickly read—perhaps even pray—and then go about the business of the day without thoroughly “digesting” what we’ve read? We assume we have eaten a meal when in reality we have only swallowed a few words. The nutrients will pass through without producing all their God-intended, life-changing purpose.
The word meditate has within it the meaning of imagining, pondering, even repeated murmuring—in other words, chewing. Dallas Willard writes that in our reading of the Bible, our “aim must be to nourish (the) soul on God’s Word.” True nourishment never takes place, either in our bodies or our souls, without slow chewing of the food.
Lord, I am so often in a hurry when I open the Bible. I fool myself into thinking that I am eating a meal with You when in reality I am merely smelling a distant aroma of a well-cooked meal. Please help me never be satisfied with anything less than truly meditating on Your Word, pondering it, imagining You speaking personally to me.
Questions: What steps can we take to begin to nourish our souls on a more regular basis instead of hurrying through our devotions? What does it mean to “meditate” on God’s Word? What happens when we don’t take time to spend with the Lord?
About the Author Marilyn J. Ehle
Tags: Bible, Bible study, characteristics, chew, Dallas Willard, digestion, life-changing, Marilyn J. Ehle, nourish, nutrients, souls
9 Responses to “Chew Your Food!”
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read the Bible every day
This morning I took this devotional to heart. I kept getting the message in my mind that after my exercise, I should make sure I read my Bible and do my journaling before I use any electonics such as email, computer or facebook. I read MatthewCH 9, and thought to myself, well this doesn’t really give me any good insights. But as I began my journaling activity on the reading, I was amazed at what little incites God was pointing out to me. I have been away from this type of devotional time for a while and I really miss it. I am happy that God pointed out to me that I do have time in the morning before I go to work. I just have to make the right choices. Again, thanks for the imagery of really “chewing” the Word and digesting it.
Good devotional. I like the comparison.
This is such a good devotional, b/c there really is so much to “digest” in reading God’s Word. I will share tho, the first thingt that came to mind, in addition to my weekly Bible Study, was my morning devotional w/ the ladies here on this site. I am so very thankful that these same ladies (an often time new ones), show up here each morning to “chew on” our devotionals together. Someone may just see something that I didn’t see at all, and that is when we learn. Thanks for this reminder to take the time to chew on the words, and to really taste them, and get nourishment for each day from them. Even if only one Bible verse, so much can be digested. Thanks so much. Blessings 2u.
Wow, this is SO true, and I need to SLOW things down in my life. In fact, I’ve been aware of it for weeks now and just this morning told the Lord that I was so sorry for rushing around in my spiritual life. Thank you for the TRUTH of this devotion. May Jesus help us ALL.
I find that I go to the word more when I have problems and latetly I have been trying to study more and let God speak to me thru his word, It really works, I am learning more and learning to turn to his word more all the time, not just thru trials.. wonderful devotional today.. PTL
Wow, todays devotional really spoke to me. I was re-reading yesterdays pages from “Streams in the Desert” because I didn’t think I digested them properly and got so much more from the second time.
As a stroke survivor, my short term memory has been damaged. I will read my bible chapters and then the next day, it is difficult for me to figure out sometimes where I left off—IF there are more than two chapters on the pages opened. I struggle with meditating on God’s Word due to my lack of memory. I have been praying for wisdom and understanding AND memory retention. I actually feel I am getting better with my memory . . . . well, sometimes. :-) ALthough, at times, I have actually felt a victim of my own rushing through my readings and devotionals. I must admit, I do feel better when I “chew” the Word. Thank you, Marilyn, for hitting one out of the ball park this morning. God Bless you!
Wow what a simple, yet complex message! This really opened my eyes(mind and heart) this morning. God has been working with me on this lately, and I know that he def. Used the words of this devotional to help me understand more of where he’s taking me and teaching me. Gotta love those God moments! This was really a blessing and I hope it encourages everyone (as much as it did for me and more)to just stop and really take in what God is saying and take the time to listen to him, and draw closer to him everyday.
:)