Food, Drink, and the Kingdom

 Proverbs 22-24; Romans 14 

“Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path. Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.”

Proverbs 23:19-21

“For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit…”

Romans 14:17

Food and drink have been given to us by the Lord as gifts to enjoy, but not as focal points to center our lives. The dietary laws were a prescribed form of earned righteousness for Israel that exposed their need for God. Jesus came eating and drinking as he pointed to the righteousness that only God can give through the Lamb of God, our sinless sacrifice. However, as those who have received God’s grace and righteousness in Christ, we, too, can fall back into a life focused on food and drink - not as righteousness, but as our daily center. The right food, coffee, wine, and pourings can become more valuable to us than the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives! 

Are there distractions today which have taken our eyes off of the Lord?

Repentance and a new infilling of God’s Spirit can re-center our lives on Jesus and his kingdom today.

“Lord Jesus, you are my life. I repent for letting the gifts of food, drink, and possessions replace you and your presence in my life, for your glory.”