When it’s ok to be gluttonous

      

   Recently a friend recommended a devotional entitled The Names of God, a rich, slow dive into Who He is.* This week’s Name was Artos Zoes, The Bread of Life. As I read through the various familiar passages in which Jesus refers to Himself in this way, I was suddenly struck by the thought that this is the one time that gluttony is not only recommended, but encouraged! It also symbolizes a paradoxical situation in which the more you eat, the hungrier you become. 

   I am greatlY blessed to be retired now, having an abundance of time to truly settle in to soak both in the Scriptures and in the Holy Spirit. Abba referred to it the other day as soul and spirit hydration. However, I also remember working full time while trying to be a wife and good parent to three wonderful children. It was a lot more difficult then to carve out time to ‘soak in Holy Spirit’s tub’. Yet the Lord honored my desire with His grace, even though the time was certainly shorter.

   In the Temple, the Bread of the Presence served to remind the Israelites of ADONAI’s provision for them, that He was ADONAI Shemah/Shammah….the God Who is Here…much like His name Immanu-El, God-With-us. We can feast on His Presence with is, experience His Holy Spirit near, around, and within us. In our typical 2025 existence, however, we have to be intentional in seeking after this sustenance. 

   Many of us (especially in my age bracket) struggle with our weight. It seems we are constantly battling the desire to eat things (and amounts) we shouldn’t…or sometimes even eating modestly yet still seeing fat seemingly glued onto our bodies. When I was young and small for my age, my parents and grandmother would encourage me to ‘eat….eat!’. I didn’t have much interest in food and would just wait to survive and escape meal times. Now I say to myself, “Oh for the days!”  Now I struggle to disassociate myself from the lure of (unhealthy) food. I never met a donut I didn’t like. I can pass up many forms of candy**, but don’t set down a box of Dunkin’s (or a freshly made loaf of bread) in front of me. 

   This morning, as I was reading about Yeshua as Artos Zoes, I saw a vivid image of The Feast our Abba has set before us, which He encourages us, like an Italian grandmother, to “Eat! Eat! Put some flesh, I mean Spirit, on those bones! Eat and enjoy and grow! But always remain hungry for more….never be fully satisfied. ‘Further up and further in!’ as My son Clive once penned. Feast on Me and be greatly blessed, yet always desire more. Here, gluttony is good!” 

   As we steward our bodies with healthy foods, let’s steward our souls and spirits by running joyfully to the Father’s Feast of His true Bread from Heaven. Let’s soak up His Presence and devour the nutrients with which He enriches those willing to search deeper. Those hungry for more satisfying understanding, insight, and knowledge of His character and His truth…those who will take the time, over other activities, to pursue His scavenger hunts and discover the treats He has hidden for us. Treasure awaits If we ‘choose to accept this mission (not) impossible,’ As does our delight in seeing the gleam in our Abba’s eye as He says’ “Well done! On to the next! Farther up and further in! More feasts await! Eat! Eat!”

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*The Names of God, written by Ann Spangler (May 2023)

**except maybe caramel M&Ms Jelly Bellies, and Molasses Mint Chews

***So many Scriptures of note, but begin with John 6

“Teach me more about you, how you work and how you move, so that I can walk onward in your truth until everything within me brings honor to your name. 12With all my heart and passion I will thank you, my God! I will give glory to your name, always and forever!  —Psalm 86: 11-12

“He humbled you, allowing you to become hungry, and then fed you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had ever known, to make you understand that a person does not live on food alone but on everything that comes from the mouth of ADONAI.” —Deuteronomy 8:3