Full of Goodness

There was concern among the staff at a camp when it was realised one of the girls had not been eating much.  Whenever she was encouraged to eat there were always excuses given:  she wasn't feeling well (possibly from not eating), had a headache, she didn't like the food on offer or claimed to have eaten already.  Eating disorders can pose a dangerous and even a deadly risk to the health and well-being of those who suffer from them, and thus the duty of care of leaders at camp was to ensure all had access to wholesome food.  At the same time we could not force anyone to eat anything or everything.  But we could call parents of campers, and praise the LORD loving parents have the well-being of their children in mind.

A similar thing is true concerning pastoral teaching ministry.  Pastors and teachers are called and equipped by God to hold forth the word of God as the spiritual and practical nutrition it is for our souls.  People are also enabled by God to feed on the word they hear in sermons or read themselves.  While all God's word is wholesome and vital to promote our spiritual health, we can be finicky and aloof eaters.  We can eat so much fruit or bread that we have no room for the mains.  There can be subjects or passages we find unpalatable and refuse to receive, choosing to hide it in a serviette to throw away or to feed it to the dog under the table--as if God doesn't realise.  Like a person I heard about who basically survives on chicken nuggets, we can develop a taste for one doctrine or flavour that we willfully deny our bodies and minds the benefit of a wide range of nutritious options.

It is good for us to realise that all God serves up in His word is good and for our maturation.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."  It would be a shame to only read the New Testament when all scripture is given by inspiration of God.  There is profitable doctrine and instruction throughout the entire Bible when God opens our eyes to see it.  When we open our mouths wide He will fill them, and this means we must trust Him.  It is good when God has such a reputation in our minds of being perfect and good that we will joyfully receive whatever He supplies in His word for us.

This is why reading through the Bible in its entirety is a good spiritual discipline to embrace.  Learning to read and study the Bible in context is very useful to help us receive the most benefit from God's word as we observe, interpret and personally apply the ageless wisdom and divine truths.  As God reveals Himself through His words coupled with our experience our tastes begin to be refined.  Instead of pitting two rigid views against each other as right or wrong, we begin to realise aspects of Christianity complement each other beautifully like sweet and sour.  In the world there are an abundance of flavours we have yet to experience that are good, and we grow in the grace and knowledge of God through His word may He bring delight to our souls.