Don’t Settle for Fast Food!

As I sat doing my devotions today, I read Psalm 1, which speaks of how the person who delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on it day and night will prosper in anything he does, just as a tree planted by a river does. As I read this, the Holy Spirit put this thought in my head: “Don’t settle for fast food.” I stopped and thought about that for a minute. “What does that mean, Lord? What are You trying to tell me?” I knew that there is nothing in the Bible about fast food, but I searched His word for an answer and came up with several passages of Scripture dealing with food. As I read those passages and meditated on them, I believe that this is what the Lord was speaking to my heart.

In Deuteronomy 8:3, I read that God caused the people of Israel to hunger and then fed them with manna. He did this so that they would learn that they could not live on bread alone. They needed to live on His word, as well. When Jesus was tempted by Satan, He quoted from that very passage in Deuteronomy (Matthew 4:4), so it must be an important thing–not just for the Israelites, but for all of us–to remember. The manna that God sent to the Israelites was not food of the world, but rather food of heaven, food from God. What I believe the Lord was telling me is that bread–the food made by man–is like the ways of the world. Manna, on the other hand, represents God’s ways. Bread is worldly knowledge and wisdom; manna is the knowledge and wisdom that come from God and His word. We do need the bread, but we need His word–the manna–even more.

So, where does “fast food” come in? God’s answer to that question came to me as I read Isaiah 55:2, where He asks why we spend money on food that does us no good. Instead, we should read His word–His food–which is the finest of food. Given the option of eating at a fast food restaurant or at the finest restaurant in town, which would you choose? I know what I would choose–the finest restaurant in town! Fast food, like the ways and the wisdom of the world, does us no good. It can even do us harm. Food at a fine restaurant, on the other hand, is like the ways and wisdom of God–much more satisfying and nourishing.

Don’t settle for fast food. Seek His ways and His wisdom by “dining” on His word day and night.