Soul food

Once, when Jesus was speaking with His disciples, He challenged them with this…

“what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” (Matthew 16:26NLT).

In the Bible, the soul is the center of a person’s being. It is the soul that longs for something or hopes or is crushed or weighed down. When a person’s soul delights in evil then it’s the soul that deserves death and punishment because a person should love God from the core of their being.

So Jesus’s warning about losing our soul should be taken seriously. If we don’t draw close to God and invite Him into our life now, then don’t expect or demand good things in the future. Jesus’s warning is both blunt and bleak. But He’s giving it to us so we’ll take action. And that’s a kind thing to do.

So, what can we do for our soul now? Feed it! The soul in danger is the soul that’s hungry – spiritually hungry. Thousands of years ago God spoke through the prophet Moses saying.

“people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3).

This makes sense. Without hearing God’s word it’s impossible to fathom His mind or plans. In short, we can’t know Him in order to be His friend. But in case you’re scared that His word tastes bland… don’t worry – it’s not. It’s fascinating, clever, encouraging, helpful, practical, historical, wise, essential…

When God spoke through the prophet Isaiah He likened His word to delicious and satisfying food:

Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink—even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk—it’s all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good?
Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you [your soul] will find life. (Isaiah 55:1-3).

Do you hear God’s warning again? Our soul must feed on God’s word in order for us to live. Down through the ages, God spoke through many prophets – most recently, through Jesus, His Son. The things we need to know that were uttered by those prophets and Jesus have all been included in the Bible. So, get hold of a copy and feed your soul!

Bible verse: Deuteronomy 8:3, “people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord”.

Prayer: Dear God, please help my soul to desire your words more than the things of this world that are passing away.

Acknowledgement: This article was sourced from Outreach Media, Sydney, Australia.
Images and text © Outreach Media 2019

Posted, February 2019