Food 4 Thot

Today let's talk about Burnt Offerings...I know, you are thinking that is sooo Old Testament...and it is, so let's begin there :).

Leviticus 3:14-16 speaks of Burnt Offerings made by the priest, "From what he offers he is to make this offering to the LORD by fire: all the fat that covers the inner parts...the priest shall burn them on the alter...All the fat is the Lord's" (Italics mine)

This 'inner part' fat referred to here is what is known in medical circles as Visceral Fat...fat that is central in obesity in humans.  Interesting, don't you think?

I won't go into a teaching on the purpose and significance of Burnt Offerings in Biblical times but I will give you this partial definition from my NIV Study Bible: It was a 'voluntary act of worship, expression of devotion, commitment and complete surrender to the Lord'.

The example from Leviticus certainly isn't speaking directly about the fat in our bodies...but I do think that we can draw a relative comparison from this without being heretical in any way.  We do know that the Bible says that gluttony is sin (Prov. 23:2) and that we are supposed to be good stewards of these bodies that the Lord has given us as our spiritual act of worship (Rom. 12:1).

I think that it is safe for us to say that our desire to see less fat on our bodies...if we are motivated by wanting to please God by taking care of His temple and not by pride or the praise of man...can indeed be considered a Burnt Offering...voluntary act of worship, expression of devotion, commitment and complete surrender to the Lord...a Fat Offering so to speak.

And I think that if this is our motivation then we will be much more likely to succeed when temptation sneaks up on us.  If we reprogram our thinking into living life...including how much and when we eat...within God's parameters for us then it will be much easier for us to keep with it because the benefit will go beyond a smaller pair of jeans and have spiritual significance for us.

So how do we know what God parameters are in regards to eating?  Well I believe that godly guidelines are to only eat when we are hungry and stop when we are satisfied.  Sound too simple to work?  God has equipped us with the ability to know when we are tired and need sleep, thirsty and need drink, hungry and need food.  Watch a small child...with the exception of a strong-willed toddler who may pitch a fit at nap time...they follow the God give cues, placed inside of each of us, for healthy living.  We all know that weight loss is not a mystical thing to try and be grasped...it is the simple chemistry of calories in and calories out.  So if we are putting less calories in then our burn ratio is high...our fat stores are then burned on the alter of obedience.

The next time we approach food let's decide if we are trying to feed a true stomach/body hunger or if we are attempting to feed a head/heart hunger...one related to boredom, emotions that we don't want to feel or an 'I want to eat just because I want to eat' attitude.  And once we are feeding a true body/stomach hunger lets thank God first for the food set before us and ask Him to help us to slow down and be sensitive to when our body has had enough and not eat past satisfied.  This may be a struggle if we are not used to following these cues, but waiting for a true tummy growl before eating will be worth it.  The pounds will drop off like a Fat offering to the Lord. 

Since I am a visual person here are a couple of pictures to help be see the benefits...

Every pound of fat we offer to the Lord by only eating when we are hungry and stopping when we are full is equal to a package of butter.  The next time you think "dog-gone-it, I only lost a pound" grab that pound of butter out of your fridge...see how heavy it feels in your hand and thank God that fat isn't on your body right now!

When you get up to 3 pounds grab a large can of Crisco off the shelf of your grocery store, [I certainly hope this isn't a pantry staple for you :)], feel how heavy it is, visualize this much fat being gone from your body and give it to the Lord as an offering.

Here is another little visual aid...groddy, I know.

See how much larger in mass the fat is than the muscle!?!  With every pound of fat we loose our body shrinks more than we think.  Now that is certainly encouraging!

What do we do then when we really want to eat when we are not needing to feed a physiological hunger?  This is when the Offering part truly comes into play.  When we offer our selfish desires to the Lord and seek Him instead of the temporary fix of food God will satisfy us with His presence...we won't have the guilt or health conditions, or bad self image left by eating outside of His parameters.  If we are eating out of boredom instead we should look for a way to serve God and others...if we are eating out of a desire to stuff emotions we can talk or cry out to Him and He will meet us there and give us true comfort.  If we want to eat just because we want it or think we deserve it and choose instead to bow the knee of our will to the Lordship of Jesus in this area then we will start seeing less of us [no pun intended] and more of HIM in our lives.

Choosing to eat within godly guidelines will not only result in a smaller and healthier body, it will also yield a closer and more personal relationship with our Father as we run to Him and His Word and seek the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.  Let's feast together on His Word...it's zero calories and high in nutrients! :)  Let us make running to God instead of food a Fat Offering, an expression of devotion, commitment and complete surrender to God!

Serving Him and you,

~Michelle...ApronGirl