FOOD IN DUE SEASON

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?” Matthew 24:45

“The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing” Psalms 145: 15- 16

Our sermon today will begin with an English class session. We shall learn about idioms and specifically idiomatic expressions about food and eating. Consider these few examples:

When you tell someone to stop crying over spilled milk¹, you are asking them not to get upset over something they cannot change. Your goose is cooked² and in big trouble when you keep the boss waiting past the deadline for a report that should have been on his desk. If Jane wants to lose weight but she is not willing to stop taking junk food, tell her ‘you cannot have your cake and eat it³.’ If I take your words with a pinch of salt⁴, it is because I don’t consider them 100% accurate.  <^{1 2 3 4} Idioms.thefreedictionary.com>

Like me you might not be an expert in idioms but it is likely the foods mentioned have elicited a similar response on both of us- inciting our taste buds and digestive juices. Existence of numerous idioms that use food references is a clear indicator of how food plays a starring role in man’s existence. In fact today’s indulgent eating trends have evolved the age old adage “we eat to live” to “we live to eat”. I do not eat only when am hungry, I often eat to satisfy my sensual tastes, smells and appeals. I have an insatiable appetite to nibble and munch all the time. Or why did you make a stopover by that roadside barbecue (nyama choma) den? Was it hunger or the appeal of the tantalizing aroma of the sizzling goat meat on the grill? Do you buy roasted maize to munch along the way home? Do you ever get tempted to buy ‘take-away’ soda and potato chips to nibble on as you travel? Do you hesitate and turn when in the streets you encounter enticing posters screaming ‘for the tastiest pizza and hot dogs?’

We all love food and food is sensitive. It forms the epicenter of most human discontents as the following illustrations prove.

• The Notorious Women March on Versailles on 5^th October 1789 triggered the French revolution. 7,000 working and market women marched 12 miles from Paris to Versailles to decry the high cost and scarcity of bread. This bread riot eventually ended the French Monarchy’s absolute power⁵. On 23^rd February 1917, women led another successful bread riot that turned into a revolution in Russia⁶.

⁵women’s March on Versailles :< www.onthisdeity.com.5th-october-1789>

⁶ February revolution: < Wikipedia> wiki > February_Revolution>

• American Psychologist Abraham Maslow in his hierarchy of needs pyramid classified food as the chief basic need for survival. He might have been informed by the wise man Agur’s earnest plea to God not to deny him food as recorded in Proverbs 30: 7- 9. “Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die….feed me with food convenient for me”

• Appetite for a fruit made Eve succumb to the serpent’s lies. Genesis 3:6(a) says, “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it….”

• Esau scorned his birthright and blessings accruing to it for a bowl of red stew. This selfish and thoughtless act plunged the world into one of the oldest, bloodiest and unending conflict that has divided the nations of the world into two camps- supporters of Jacob (Israel) or sympathizers with the Esau (Muslim world). Genesis 25: 30- 34, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I am famished….So Esau despised his birthright”

• Israel repeatedly suffered from bouts of Egyptian hangovers while on their way to the Promised Land. The fulcra of this death-dealing unholy attraction always revolved around lust after the fleshpots of Egypt. So intense was this infatuation with the ‘Egyptian delicacies’ that it made them water down the sweetness of their deliverance and freedom. Exodus 16: 3, “…there we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted…”

• Food is a deadly enticer. Do you know the self absorbed general called Haman? He was unwittingly deceived by Queen Esther’s allurements to dine with the King in a banquet she had prepared. This fleeting honor made him lose his temperance and moderation. Elated by this rare credit yet disgusted by the arrogance of the worthless and dishonorable Jew Mordecai, he prepared gallows to hang him in order to soothe his punctured ego. He was instead hanged on the gallows shortly after dining on the King’s table. Esther 5: 8- 14; 7: 1, 10 “I am the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the King to the banquet she gave, and she invited me along with the King tomorrow. But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the King’s gate.”

• Our society today is afflicted with chronic eating disorders that have led to lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases and obesity. Our unbridled desire for physical pleasure has outweighed restraints of healthy eating habits. We eat, drink and indulge as if we shall die tomorrow. We pamper our tastes and appeals at the expense of healthful eating.

God- our incessant giver

Our God is a generous benefactor. He confers innumerable benefits of his overflowing kindness to his expansive creation- man, beast, fowl and sea creatures alike. He heaps upon us blessing after blessing from his unending bounty in spite of our apathetic ingratitude and his power to withhold. He is so prompt in giving us food when we need it most, at the proper time. None in his vast creation is too insignificant before him to provide for. From the valueless sparrow (Matthew 10: 29; Luke 12: 5) to the most splendid of beasts, from the poorest peasant to the most distinguished noble, from the most humble abode in the dingy shanties to the occupants of the aristocratic mansions; He nourishes without discrimination. The whole creation owes him total allegiance for his providential care both in variety and abundance.

Food that does not spoil

“Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the son of man will give you…. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6: 27, 51

With five loaves and two fish, Yahshuah had on the previous day miraculously fed over 5,000 people. From the obvious insufficiency, he fed them to their heart’s content. After having their fill, they collected 12 baskets full of leftovers. They all marveled at this miraculous provision without comprehending the hidden eternal significance. This bread was not just meant for the reprieve of temporal pangs of hunger, but it symbolized him- the bread of life. He drew an analogy with the manna their fathers had fed on for 40 years- another miraculous provision that was rained from the sky. This superior bread from heaven was given through the ministration of angels to save them from physical death. In this barren desert where they faced certain starvation, God miraculously provided them with fresh food daily where and when they needed it and according to their requirement. The manna was always fresh- there were no stale leftovers. It was rained from above not sown from the soil. It was handy and availed where the Israelites camped. It was not hoarded or stored for months as security. However, in spite of their fathers eating this bread of angels, they died. In contrast, Messiah was offering himself as bread that endures, one that imparted eternal life. The crowds followed him to satisfy their temporary natural need for food but Messiah appealed to a more superior hunger- the hunger for spiritual nourishment.

The story is told of a boy who as he was playing in their living room bumped into an old dusty voluminous book at the top of the cupboard. “Whose book is this?” the boy innocently asked the mother. “It is God’s book- the bible. Can’t you see that?” the mother retorted. “I suggest we mail it back to him for neither do we have regard for it nor do we use it” the boy said with finality.

He spreads before us the table of his ‘his eternal word’ which the Psalmist affirms, ‘is more precious than gold and sweeter than honey’ Psalms 19: 10. Job invites us to esteem God’s word more than our necessary food, pleasures and pursuits (23: 12). We are called to be passionate about the word in like manner as a baby craves milk with an insatiable longing. “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk….” 1 Peter 2: 2. Just like babies have no alternative source of nourishment and sustenance apart from the milk, should we not likewise depend wholly on the nourishment of the word? The baby’s undivided desire for milk cannot be exchanged for even the most appealing choice food. Its thirst for wholesome milk is so compelling that it demands for it in sharp irritating yells of attention. Those who desire the word with such passion not only gain information but they get transformed and personally revived.

In my youth I was held hostage by three fancy habits namely, reading novels, watching movies and football. I might not match the zeal and passion of fans that fight over a team or those who go overboard and commit suicide because their team lost a local derby, but nevertheless I was a victim of its other immoderate behaviors. How glad I am that betting was not popular then. I graduated from African series novels, the James Hadley Chase to big writers such as Sidney Sheldon, Mario Puzo, Jeffrey Archer and my favorite Robert Ludlum. I thrived on their thrilling crime, fiction and conspiracy theories’ storylines. The riveting suspense kept me glued to the chair for hours; two days were enough to read from cover to cover even the most voluminous of them. Most movies have rapid furious plots that are quite enthralling and their story lines are irresistibly captivating and gripping. However while reading the novels or watching the movies excites, doing it a second time was a bore. Once I knew the plot, the sensual thrill and compulsion ebbed away. And this is where the bible is different- the bible is not meant to thrill but to convict. It is not read to excite senses but to provoke serious reflection. I have read the bible a number of times without a loss of interest or a feeling of its message being redundant. Every time I read the word it gives me an indescribable calmness and peace that surpasses any sensual excitement.

It is gravely unfortunate that though the bible has become the most accessible book everywhere in print and electronic form, it is also the most neglected. In hotel rooms, in libraries, in schools, in colleges, in churches, in prisons, at homes- you will find a bible gathering dust. Believers have no passion to read the book that embodies what they claim to profess, the book that brought them to Messiah. The book God authored through inspired men to reveal his mind to us. We are to desire its precepts like the baby desires milk. Most of us take three meals a day yet between those short intervals of time we feel starved. But how long do we stay before taking a bite of something spiritual? How often do we read our bibles? The bible represents the word with images of life sustaining and life nourishing symbols such as water, milk, bread, meat and pasture to draw a correlation of how injurious it is to forfeit it. Psalms 107: 9, John 6: 51, 10: 9, Isaiah 55: 2

There are quick lessons to learn about the manna- it was not sown from the soil as all ordinary food is and it involved no physical labor of the mortals save gathering, baking and eating it; God supernaturally and miraculously provided it from heaven. It was called angel’s food not because angels require food for sustenance but because it was availed to mortals through the ministration of angels who are superior beings to man. The manna was ground and crushed, and then it was cooked or baked to make it palatable (Numbers 11: 8). Likewise, Messiah- in whom the fullness of godhead dwells- was pierced and crushed to death to become an accessible Savior to mortals like you and me. Those who feed on him and his word will live forever. He is the Living bread. John 6: 31, 50, 51

In due season

Public and religious holidays are synonymous with according the less fortunate members of the society some kindness. People visit the sick, the vulnerable, the aged and those in prison. One leader chose to visit a local hospital to distribute some goodies to the terminally ill patients while wishing them quick recovery. He also used the forum to enumerate the development projects he had initiated since his election and the projects that were still underway, a campaign tool for re-election. The now jovial patients smiled and clapped. Their bright countenance dulled when suddenly he announced his intention to expand the hospital morgue and equip it with modern refrigerators and freezers. 10 million shillings had been set aside for that. How insensitive, uncaring, apathetic, numbing, inconsiderate and irresponsible his announcement was to these ailing men and women? It was repugnant news; the patients hurled back his gifts with fury. Was his promise of a modernized mortuary a wish for their quick death? What a great idea told to the wrong audience. How unwise, ill-timed and misplaced? Out of season!

Would you have biscuits and ice cream for lunch as your main meal? Would it be of benefit to feed a one month’s old baby on pizza however nutritious? Would porridge be enough to satisfy the hunger and nourishment of a farmhand or construction worker?

The servant who gives the other servants wholesome food at the proper time without withholding is called faithful and wise. He is faithful to the trust given him to apportion his master’s goodies to the other servants. He dispenses food portions in the required amounts and correct dietary values. This duty is so imperative and calls for devotion and loyalty. The ministers of the word should not shun declaring the counsel of God and good news to the flock. The wise minister knows the state of his sheep to enable him meet their spiritual needs. He is well acquainted with the level of their maturity and inadequacy (Proverbs 27:23). Where there is disconnect between the minister and the flock, a deficient menu is offered. There is little growth because conflicts and endless arguments abound. The flock suffers malnutrition and starvation making them vulnerable to the enemy’s devouring assault.

Do you have a craving for that food that never spoils or like the crowd you are chasing after instant gratification? Has the immediate consumer mentality eroded your desire for God? Does your commitment depend on the prevailing circumstances? Do you find bible reading and bible study sessions tiresome, laborious and wearisome? Is your attendance of church mundanely routine? Why do believers doze through the service? What causes the irritating movements in and out of church? Between television and the bible, which is indispensable to you? Between attending an inductive bible study and watching a soccer match, which appeals to you most? How frequently do you visit and update your status on Face Book and WhatsApp? It is likely you have a bible application in your smart phone or tablet, read and meditate on a chapter a day; and you will see what a positive impact it will have on your life.

If we do not long for the plentiful feast of his word, we shall feed on the morsels of world frivolous inducement to our own ruin. If we flirt with the world, we shall extinguish the love of him within us. Those who love him crave his food; his word is food indeed!

Sharper than a double-edged sword

Hebrews 4: 12

A double-edged sword unlike a two-edged sword cuts on both forward and back strokes. The symbol is used to show the efficacy of the word in upsetting our sinful dispositions in order to earn us transformation. This is what happened to the 3,000 people listening to Peter’s Pentecost sermon. The testimony about Messiah’s singular earthly mission cut to the core of their hearts dispelling any qualms they previously held about him. It sliced open their hardened conscience to discover how dead they were in sin. They believed, were baptized, got converted and the word imparted life in them. The word has power to revive because Messiah is the word personified. John 1:1; 20:31

The word is penetrative discerning hidden motives, intents and thoughts. It pierces stabs and pricks our innermost thoughts to expose our state before God. It brings about conviction and transformation in the believer. It cuts through our faults and flaws bringing the penitent to Messiah. The word therefore does not respond to our state but we are the ones who conform to its ideals. The word is not expected to massage our corrupt nature but to mortify it through reproofs, rebukes and corrections. It is not intended to entertain and repose us in our sinful comfort zones. The novel and movie plots thrill but are not life-giving; the word is living and a detector of the devices and purposes of the heart with an intention to convert. It effectively transforms the lives of all that surrender to its power. Welcome to this boundless and inexhaustible feast, for our God is a benevolent benefactor.

Baba Roy-Amy

royamykipchela@gmail.com

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