Lent

We are on the eve of an important practice of the Christian faith - Lent.  It is a time of reflection and a time of sacrifice.  It is the time we are to remember what Christ did for us.  I have never given up anything for Lent.  I never felt like I could do it with the right mindset.  What I mean is that I never felt that my motives were pure.  It was more about how I could benefit from the sacrifice as a means to lose weight than a reflection of a sacrifice that would challenge (and increase) my relationship with Christ.

If we feel moved to give up something for Lent let's make sure that we do it for the right reasons.  It should be something that is challenging and also moves us to rely on Christ.  Maybe it is something we do not think we could give up for 40 days: Facebook, TV, coffee, meat, sweets, soda, spending money, etc.

So, my question to all of you is this - what are you going to sacrifice?  Respond to the post so we can hold one another accountable and pray for one another as well.

Discomfort

Trying to lose weight means being a little hungry from time to time.  I hate being hungry!  In fact, hunger and craving are the reasons I tend to fail at changing my diet.  One morning, when I woke up hungry, I had an epiphany or as Oprah says, and "a-ha" moment.  As I thought about my discomfort in being hungry, I thought about Jesus. Jesus was uncomfortable on the cross making the sacrifice for me.  In fact, He was in agony!  It put into perspective the "suffering" I felt just by eating in a disciplined manner that is glorifying to God.  God calls us to be disciplined and have self control.  This should be in our eating.  When we begin to whine about feeling hungry we must focus on Jesus - his temptation in the desert, his humiliation on the cross.  


Hunger can be dealt with when we focus on why we are hungry and feed on the word of Jesus.  He fills us with everything we need and we need to be witnesses for the world as to the truth of what he can provide.  It is such a disservice to Jesus to live under the vail of comfort.


"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV)

Indulgences

It is amazing how God seems to place before exactly what we need, when we need it.  This week hasn't been great for me.  I gave into my weakness for donuts one stormy day this week.  But the very next day, in my devotions, God placed before me exactly what I needed to hear.  In the Lord's Table Mike Cleveland writes "Food is not the problem. . . So, understanding that the condition of being overweight comes from indulging the flesh, it is foolish to change the kinds of foods with which we indulge the flesh.  If I forsake eating all breads and only indulge with meat, what have I profited?  My heart and lifestyle have not changed, and even though I might lose weight for a time it will surely come back on until I learn that the problem is that I have a habit of indulging my flesh, rather than just what kind of food I eat".

Wow!  How many of us have fought that fight - eliminating carbs, eliminating sugar, eliminating red meat - you name it we remove it.  For most of us that has not been successful.  So until we learn that it has to do with how we indulge our desires and flesh rather than what we are eating we will continue to fail.  Think about it.  Every time I have tried to eliminate a food from my diet it is the only food I crave.  It is worse.

But is being full in Christ enough to change our habits?  It should be but is it?  I ate too many donuts this week but threw the last ones away.  Baby steps people, baby steps.

Matthew 5:25 "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?"

Satisfaction

The question God has prompted in me over and over again this week is this:

Am I truly satisfied with God?  

Let's face it - often times we are not.  That is why we try to find something else to fill ourselves.  In our culture it isn't just food,  it is relationships, television, pornography,  alcohol, drugs, tobacco, etc. In fact, it is anything we find that fulfills the immediate need we have.  Tonight, mine was cookies.  I was frustrated, tired, annoyed, irritated, and cookies were IN MY FACE!

I know 2 cookies won't "kill" me.  It was the point.  What was I really doing with those cookies.  I certainly didn't sit and enjoy eating them.  I ate them at the speed of light - to fulfill what?  

So, there is my confession and my question.  It is a question I think we all need to truly examine for ourselves:  

Are YOU satisfied with God?  If you had nothing would he be enough?  

Why?

The question I am pondering today is the question why?  More specifically, why do I want to lose weight and get healthy?  Seems like a question that would be easy to answer.  However, today, my morning devotions were about that question.  Mike Cleveland's book The Lord's Table starts with asking yourself what is the proper motivation for losing weight?  So often we are taught that if we aren't losing weight for ourselves it will never work.  This is typical of our culture.  Mike suggestions that we should be looking to change our lifestyle and lose weight for the glory of God.  That lead to my second question - does God care what I look like?  No, I don't think so, but I think he cares about disciplined choices.  As it was pointed out by a friend - "when my spiritual life is right, everything else seems to fall in line".  So true.  When we spend time with God, we tend to be more satisfied in our lives and stop trying to fill ourselves something else.

So, returning to the original question?  Why are we doing this?  Can we say it is for the glory of God?  For myself, when I answer that question, it is to treat the body God gave me in the way it deserves to be treated.  I have abused this body and have not taken care of it, so, it is only honoring to Him if I begin to act in a way that honors my body.

Think on that and I will see you in the morning!

Challenges

"Life comes at you fast" the widely recognized tag line for an insurance company works because it is true.      In our lives we face illnesses, time restraints, demands of the family and work - all the things that can stop us in our tracks and cause us to eat for comfort.  As I was reminded by a member of the Devonshire Accountability Ladies (DAL) that God should be our comfort.  But he isn't tangible - not like a bowl of ice cream or cookies.  It takes effort to feel touched by God.  It takes purposeful intent and searching.  When things get hard, purposeful intent and quiet time are not our first choice.  However, I feel that God responds to our cries.  If in a moment of challenge we cry to God I feel he will give us what we need - we just have to be open to what He has to offer and be satisfied.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 says "This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curse.  Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to Him."

Donna Patrow says "who you are right now is largely the sum of the daily choices you've been making for years."  True?  Probably.  Hard to admit?  Definitely.

This week is about making new choices, better choices, God pleasing choices!  Go Ladies - Glorify God in all you Do!

Accountability

God calls us to hold one another accountable.  It doesn't mean that we have to be malicious or tear one another down, but it means in a loving way.  This week, the accountability group at Devonshire Memorial Church set small goals.  Mine was to exercise three times this week.  So, if you have not set your goal be sure to set it and let the group know what you are trying to accomplish!  


Also, be sure to pray.  Don't underestimate the power of prayer.  


Our memory verse this week is 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 "Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body."  


More important than anything is to remember to put God first in all that we do!