I was just sitting here at home, enjoying a bowl of old-fashioned 16 bean soup with Ham Hocks in them, thinking about the blessing of humans being able to eat. I used to watch people when I’d go to restaurants with my daughter a few years ago when I had my Lincoln. I hope to get another car soon. I didn’t stare ignorantly at them but as we used to eat I would glance at someone and God would show me something about them. I once saw an older man walking with his wife and it just went across my mind that he was an old WWII Veteran whose eyes had seen a lot and was thankful to be alive. This has been going on with me for a long time now. I can look at someone and almost see what they were, are, or have experienced in life. I never threw it around like a circus trick but God has given me confirmation a few times that it is working in me. I know that sounds crazy but I seem to get really sensitive when it activates within me. On one incident, my daughter and I was sitting in Eat n Park and I looked at a man eating. He was about 180 pounds, had sandy-colored hair, large brown eyes and an innocent countenance as though his mamma raised him right. He was deep in thought as he ate his food. I carefully watched him eat and thought about how God intricately made us to the point where everything that we do that is necessary to our existence is totally dependent upon him. Believer or not. If you believe good, if not, you are like an ungrateful person.
Although this man was a regular sized man and seemed like he had been through some things in life, he still needed to depend on the mechanics of his body, mouth, tongue, teeth and esophagus to eat this food and feed himself. He looked like a child eating his food. I can’t explain exactly what I mean but I can only try to convey this to you. It almost brought me to tears how innocent this big, grown man looked as he ate. No matter the jokes, the attitude, single or married, he needed God at that time whether he knew it or not. No matter how big, grown or old we get, no matter how indignant, smart or quick-witted we get, no matter how guilty or innocent we get in life, we will always have that need to depend on our Creator while nourishing our bodies. You can try to eat fast, slow, proper or belligerent but it is something that will slow you down in order to take time and ponder upon life.
Our minds go into a rest of some sort as we chew the way that God created man to chew. It reminds me of watching little baby birds eating quickly as their mothers feed their little beaks. No matter what is going on in their lives, this is something that they have to stop the press, set everything aside and do to remain alive. Eating is a necessity. Everyone should give God thanks. Have you ever thanked God for not choking to death as you ate? Do you know that He keeps you alive as you choke down your food and sometimes mistakingly swallow bones and large pieces? There is always something to be thankful for. You could have been dead a long time ago. You could have died while gossiping while you ate.
No matter how important you think that you are or what your occupation is, you must depend on God to keep you alive as you enjoy the food that He was kind enough to send you. Oh yes, and make sure that you bless your food before you eat it. You never know what someone spoke over it before the plate or bowl got to you. They could have dedicated it to satan. There’s those out there who do that kind of stuff you know. Just as Christians pray there are devil-worshippers who could have dedicated your plate to their father. I saw a documentary that showed people in China who felt good when they ate a certain persons food because that person was a positive cook. When they ate from the hands of an evil, negative man, they got sick and didn’t enjoy the meal. There is always something to be thankful for.
Give thanks, *Selah.
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