For more information about this book and Bible study series and devotionals visit http://madetocrave.org/ .
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Made to Crave
For more information about this book and Bible study series and devotionals visit http://madetocrave.org/ .
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Getting started on my diet journey and reading has been hard. All I have wanted to do this week is come home from work and eat and sleep. I have had a hard time finding my "want to". So after a hard day yesterday of eating out of control I decided I better get reading. The introduction of the book is titled "Finding your want to" which is exactly what I was looking for. The author states that it is not the "how to" that is the problem but the "want to". This is so me. I have read so many diet books that I could probable pass a certification test to become a nutrition specialist. The part of this introduction chapter that really spoke to me was a discussion about Matthew 19:21, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possesions and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven. Then come and follow me." The author points out the God is not just talking to the wealthy, but anyone who wallows in abundance of any sort. What God was really saying is..."I want you to give up the one thing you crave more than me, Then come, follow me." Wow! What a way to think about things! That gives me a new reason to search harder for my "want to". I had a much better day today, maybe this truth helped my outlook a bit. Laura also gave me three magnets that say CraveGod. I put one on my fridge at work, one on my firdge at home, and one on the snack can in the pantry. Every time I look at one of the magnets I think...give up the one thing you crave more than me.
ReplyDeleteChapter 1 - What's Really Going On Here?
ReplyDeleteGod made us to crave and long for him, however Satan tries to lead us astray at every turn with the tempatations of the world just as he tempted Eve. Chapter 1 tells us that there are three ways that Satan trys to temp us; cravings of the sinful man, lust of his eyes, ans boasting of what he has or does. The Bible details this in 1 John 2:15-16. "15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." In Matthew 4:1-11 Jesus is tempted in all three ways; with craving for food, with promise of material things, and with the idea of proving his significance. Jesus overcame these temptations by quoting the word of God. As I look at my daily living I know that my worst temptation is cravings for food, but I know sometimes I want material things more than I should and I also am guilty of wanting to prove my significant or boasting. The author suggest we oversome these temptations with quoting Bible verses as Jesus did. I like the one she recomended "Everything is permissable - but not everything is benificial" (1 Corinthians 10:23) I hope to be able to draw on this verse everytime I go to put something in my mouth that is not on "The Plan" and that is not benificial to me. I also want to embrace the idea that God made me to crave Him. The composer Brahms wrote a beautiful setting of "How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place" as a part of his Requim, Gary has often said he wants this played at his funeral. The song setting is based on Psalm 84:1-2 "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! 2My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God." I will try to remember this beautiful song as I embrace the idea that God wants us to crave Him. Copy this URL and paste it into your browser to hear a mordern rendetion of Psalm 84;
http://www.godlychristianmusic.com/Music_Play_List.aspx?listId=273&listType=album#songPlayer
I want to long for the Lord and put my trust in Him!
Psalm 84 - New International Version
ReplyDeletePsalm 84[a]
For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.[c]
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.[d]
7 They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
8 Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty;
listen to me, God of Jacob.
9 Look on our shield,[e] O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.
10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
12 Lord Almighty,
blessed is the one who trusts in you.